Tesla registered 17,300 new vehicles in China for the week ending September 21, marking its highest weekly total in 12 weeks. This represents a 12.7% increase from 15,350 units registered the previous week, signaling upward momentum in the world’s largest EV market.
Model Y Leads Sales, New Variant Boosts Numbers
The Model Y continues to be Tesla’s top-selling vehicle in China, with 10,340 units registered last week. A key driver is the Model Y L—a six-seat, long-wheelbase variant launched on August 19. Since deliveries began earlier this month, the Model Y L has contributed 850 units to Tesla’s weekly total. The Model 3 sedan also added 6,060 registrations.
Strong Demand Pushes Model Y L Deliveries to November
Tesla says customers placing orders for the Model Y L now won’t receive their vehicles until November, highlighting strong demand for the new variant.
Insurance Registrations Align with Sales Growth
Insurance registrations, a common proxy for vehicle sales, reflect the weekly uptick: the 17,300 units from September 15-21 represent a 25.6% increase compared with the same period last year. For the quarter to date, Tesla’s insurance registrations are up 33.2% from the previous quarter but remain 7.8% below the same period in 2024.
August Retail Sales Show Month-on-Month Growth
Data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shows Tesla sold 57,152 vehicles in August. While this is down 9.9% year-over-year, it marks a 40.7% increase from July’s 40,617 units.
Q3 Momentum Looks Promising
Although Tesla’s year-to-date registrations in China are down 5.9% from last year, the automaker’s Q3 2025 momentum is notable. With Model Y L production expected to ramp up in the coming months, Tesla’s new vehicle registration trend in China could continue improving, reinforcing its position in the highly competitive Chinese EV market.