Tesla’s China division saw a strong year-end recovery, with December marking the second-highest wholesale volume month ever for Gigafactory Shanghai. Data from the China Passenger Car Association, as reported by CnEVPost, revealed that Tesla China sold 97,171 vehicles in December, just behind the record set in November 2022 of 100,291 units.
This represents a 3.63% year-over-year increase and a significant 12.08% jump from November’s sales of 86,700 vehicles. The sales figures include both local deliveries and exports from Giga Shanghai, although a breakdown between the two has not yet been provided.
Retail sales were also robust, with Tesla China selling approximately 94,000 vehicles in December, a 13% increase compared to the same period last year. More detailed domestic sales data is expected to be released later this month.
The surge in sales at the end of the year can be attributed in part to Tesla accelerating deliveries to help customers take advantage of more favorable purchase tax policies before the calendar year’s end. This strategy contributed to Tesla’s strong finish in 2025, despite facing stiff competition in China’s electric vehicle market.
While December showed strong performance, Tesla China’s full-year wholesale sales for 2025 still experienced a decline, totaling 851,732 vehicles, down 7.08% year-over-year. The company has been under pressure in China due to aggressive pricing by domestic automakers and the increasingly crowded EV market, although exports from Shanghai remained high.
However, there were positive signs of demand towards the end of Q4, with November already showing a rebound and December marking Tesla’s best month for deliveries in Shanghai in over three years. The China-exclusive Model Y L has also been a hit since its launch, reportedly selling out production until February 2026.
On a global scale, Tesla delivered 418,227 vehicles in Q4 2025, slightly below analyst expectations. With China ending the year on a strong note, the focus now shifts to determining the extent to which December’s performance was driven by exports versus domestic demand. Keep an eye out for further updates on this evolving story.