SHENZHEN, China (Reuters) -China’s automotive gross sales in April rose for a 3rd month, up 14.8% from a 12 months earlier, as government-subsidised auto trade-ins mitigated the influence of U.S. tariffs on shopper sentiment.
Passenger car gross sales totalled 1.78 million models final month and for the primary 4 months of 2025 had been up 8.2% from the identical interval a 12 months earlier at 6.97 million models, knowledge from the China Passenger Automotive Affiliation (CPCA) confirmed on Sunday.
Gross sales of electrical automobiles and plug-in hybrids, recognized collectively as new power automobiles, elevated 33.9% year-on-year to make up 50.8% of whole automotive gross sales final month.
A authorities scheme that palms out bigger subsides to trade-ins of previous automobiles for NEVs than for gasoline automobiles had lined 2.71 million automobiles as of April 24, official knowledge confirmed, cushioning the influence on Chinese language shopper confidence as the rise in U.S. tariffs on Chinese language exports disrupt commerce between the world’s two largest economies.
Automotive exports slid 2.2% in April from a 12 months earlier, extending an 8% decline in March, CPCA knowledge confirmed.
For home consumers, nevertheless, automated-driving techniques are fading as a catalyst for gross sales, in accordance with the affiliation.
The main focus of a years-long value struggle on the earth’s largest auto market shifted towards next-generation automated-driving options after BYD introduced in February to supply its “God’s Eye” driver-assistance system as free normal tools throughout its lineup.
However the fervour to tout driver-assistance techniques is cooling following a authorities crackdown on advertising phrases utilizing “sensible” or “autonomous” to explain their know-how after a deadly crash involving a Xiaomi SU7 sedan in March.
The EV caught hearth after hitting a cement pole, seconds after the motive force tried to imagine management from the automotive’s assisted-driving system.
(Reporting by David Kirton, Jenny Wang, Qiaoyi Li, Zhang Yan and Brenda Goh; Modifying by Edmund Klamann and Christian Schmollinger)
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