After claiming the title of the most popular premium SUV in China in 2022, Tesla has started off on the right foot to claim the title again in 2023. According to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) the Model Y ranked second in premium SUV sales the month of January.
Earlier this month we reported that Tesla China sold 66,051 cars in January, but newly released data shows 39,208 were exported to other markets around the world. That leaves 26,843 domestic sales in China last month, with the Model Y leading the way with 14,184 sales compared to 12,659 for that of the Model 3. That was enough to make the Model Y the second most popular premium SUV in China, despite a 13.3% drop in sales compared to January 2022.
The Model Y missed out on first place by just 133 units, with the Mercedes-Benz GLC claiming the top spot with 14,317 sales. Notably this is a 25.9% drop compared to January 2022 when the GLC had 22,331 sales.
Even though the GLC outlasted the Model Y in January that is unlikely to be the case moving forward through the rest of the year, if 2022 is any indication. Last year the Model Y dominated China’s premium SUV segment selling 315,314 units, more than double that of the second-place GLC which amassed just 148,797 sales in comparison.
Add in the recent price cuts to the Model Y (and the Model 3) in China, and Giga Shanghai’s continued high output, and 2023 should be another record year for Tesla in China.
