Tesla saw a significant lift in its retail performance in China last month, delivering 73,145 vehicles in November — its second-strongest result of 2025 and the best monthly tally since March. Newly released figures from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) indicate that Tesla regained positive momentum in the market, despite retail volumes remaining slightly lower than a year ago.
Retail sales slipped just 0.5 percent compared to the same month last year, marking a fifth consecutive month of year-over-year declines. However, month-over-month performance tells a different story. With 26,006 retail sales recorded in October, November soared 181 percent, supported by demand for a new Model Y variant and Tesla’s year-end focus on clearing inventory vehicles.
The introduction of a new five-seat Model Y+ in early November proved to be a major catalyst. The updated model offers 821 kilometers of CLTC range, the longest among Tesla’s SUV lineup in China. Tesla also encouraged customers to take home production-ready vehicles before the end of the year to benefit from more favourable purchase tax policies, helping lift domestic delivery figures.
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Giga Shanghai remains a critical base for both local deliveries and global exports. In November, Tesla exported 13,555 vehicles from China, more than doubling last year’s tally but falling sharply from October as more vehicles were allocated to domestic buyers, as is typical with Tesla’s strategy. Combined wholesale volume — retail plus exports — reached 86,700 units, an increase of nearly 10 percent year-over-year and up 41 percent month-over-month.
From January through November, Tesla has sold 531,855 vehicles at retail in China, representing a decline of 7.37 percent compared to last year. Wholesale volume over the same period reached 754,561 units, also tracking behind 2024 by 8.30 percent. Exports from Shanghai totaled 222,706 units, a drop of 10.46 percent year-over-year as Tesla prioritized domestic deliveries in several months this year.
Model Y remains Tesla’s most popular vehicle in the country. November wholesale sales for the electric SUV climbed to 55,576 units, up more than 19 percent year-over-year. Model 3 followed with 31,124 units wholesale, down slightly from last year but still showing strong month-over-month improvement.
With just one month left in the year, Tesla is working to carry this momentum into December and close 2025 on a high note. A continued push on Model Y, improvements in Model 3 availability, and an expanding lineup with the return of the Model S and Model X are expected to help the automaker stay competitive in the world’s largest and most fiercely contested EV market.
