SHANGHAI — More than 65% of cars sold in China are now electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles, marking a new record as rising fuel prices linked to the Iran war accelerate the country’s shift away from petrol-powered cars.
A record 65.2% of the 1.54 million cars sold in mainland China last month were either pure electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association.
The figure edged past the previous record of 65.1% set just a month earlier, highlighting the extraordinary speed of China’s transition towards electrified transport.
Petrol Cars Take the Biggest Hit
China’s wider car market remains under pressure amid an economic slowdown, but the impact has been far more severe for petrol-powered vehicles.
Petrol car sales plunged 40% year on year last month, while sales of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles declined by a comparatively smaller 10.1%.
The figures show that even as China’s overall automotive market weakens, consumers are increasingly favouring electric alternatives over conventional combustion-engine vehicles.
Rising Fuel Prices Drive Buyers Towards EVs
The Iran war has added a new economic incentive for Chinese drivers to abandon petrol vehicles.
Rising energy prices have pushed up the cost of fuel, making electric vehicles more attractive to consumers looking to reduce their transportation expenses.
The shift is also helping China reduce its dependence on oil at a time when global energy supplies face increased uncertainty.
China’s oil consumption fell sharply in the second quarter of 2026, with researchers attributing much of the decline to the rapid expansion of electric vehicles and other forms of transport electrification. EVs alone displaced an estimated 36 million tonnes of oil in the first half of the year.
Range Anxiety Is Fading
One of the biggest barriers to electric vehicle adoption appears to be weakening.
Zhao Zhen, a sales director at Shanghai-based auto dealer Wan Zhuo Auto, said consumers are increasingly convinced by the advantages of EVs as concerns about driving range have largely eased.
The continued expansion of charging infrastructure, improvements in battery technology and longer driving ranges have helped make electric cars a more practical option for millions of drivers.
The growing confidence among consumers could push EV adoption even higher in the coming months.
New Technology Gives EVs Another Boost
The shift is not being driven by fuel prices alone.
Chinese carmakers have launched hundreds of new electric vehicle models in recent months, many equipped with increasingly advanced technology.
Features such as advanced driver-assistance systems and other digital technologies are helping convince consumers to choose new EVs over traditional petrol-powered cars.
China’s domestic automakers have been particularly aggressive in introducing new models across a wide range of price categories, intensifying competition and accelerating the pace of innovation.
China Becomes Less Dependent on Oil
The EV boom is also having wider consequences for China’s energy security.
China is the world’s largest oil importer, making the country vulnerable to disruptions in global energy supplies.
But the rapid electrification of cars, trucks and other forms of transport is beginning to reduce that dependence.
Researchers said China’s carbon dioxide emissions fell 1% year on year in the second quarter, driven largely by a 9% drop in oil consumption. It marked the first time that falling oil use, rather than lower coal consumption, was the main driver behind a decline in China’s emissions.
The Bottom Line
China’s electric vehicle revolution has reached another historic milestone, with 65.2% of cars sold last month powered either fully or partly by electricity.
Rising petrol prices linked to the Iran war are accelerating the transition, while better technology, expanding EV choices and fading concerns over driving range are giving consumers more reasons to abandon petrol cars.
With petrol vehicle sales falling far faster than EV sales, China’s automotive market is undergoing a dramatic transformation.
The world’s biggest car market is no longer simply adding more electric vehicles to its roads — electricity is rapidly becoming the dominant choice for China’s next generation of drivers.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
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