The Tesla Model Y took its place as China’s top-selling SUV last month. The all-electric crossover, which is produced in Gigafactory Shanghai, sold a total of 31,054 units in May 2023, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
From January to May, the Model Y sold a total of 152,461 units in China’s domestic market. That’s up 87% year-over-year, which is quite impressive considering that the Model Y is a premium all-electric crossover with a lot of legitimate competition from local rivals. From January to May 2023, the Model Y was the country’s best-selling SUV, electric or otherwise.
With domestic sales of 31,054 units in May, the Model Y saw a month-over-month growth of 16% from April. The number also represents a 428% year-over-year growth in domestic sales.
Following the Model Y was the BYD Yuan Plus, which sold 26,072 units, and the BYD Song Plus, which sold 22,079 units last month. Both popular BYD vehicles stayed behind the Model Y in China’s rankings from January to May as well, with the BYD Song Plus selling 149,485 during the same period and the BYD Yuan Plus selling 117,531 units.
The Tesla Model Y’s stablemate, the Model 3 sedan, saw some impressive sales in China’s domestic market this year as well. The Tesla Model 3 saw retail sales of 11,454 units in May, which is up 189% year-over-year. The figure, however, represented a 13.2% month-over-month decline, according to a CNEV Post report.
The vehicle’s overall performance this year is nevertheless still impressive, with the Model 3 seeing total sales of 67,432 units from January to May 2023. That’s a 76% improvement year-over-year, and it’s also enough to make the Model 3 one of China’s best-selling premium sedans during the period. Such results are not bad at all, especially if one were to consider that some consumers are likely holding off on domestic Model 3 purchases in China due to the vehicle’s highly-anticipated “Project Highland” update.
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