U.S. automaker Tesla sold 62,167 China-made electric vehicles in April, down 18% from a year earlier, China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) data showed on May 7. The deliveries of China-made Model 3 and Model Y vehicles slid 30.2% from March.
Additionally, Tesla exports its China-made vehicles to a number of locations, including Europe; however, the CPCA did not offer a breakdown of Tesla exports by destination. The complete April report, which is expected later this week, is hinted at by these numbers.
The steep decline is in stark contrast to China, where EV sales are increasing despite growing at the slowest rate in a year in the first quarter due to a fierce price war and waning demand.
According to CPCA data, China’s sales of new-energy vehicles, which include plug-in hybrids and battery-powered electric vehicles, were predicted to reach 8,00,000 units in April, gaining 33% year over year and 2% less than the previous month.
With its Dynasty and Ocean lineups of EVs and plug-in hybrids, BYD, Tesla’s largest Chinese rival, sold 3,12,048 passenger cars in April, up 3.5% from March and 48.97% year over year.
First-quarter car deliveries at Tesla decreased for the first time in almost four years. More than 10% of the company’s worldwide workforce was laid off at the start of the second quarter, and car prices were slashed in key areas like China, Europe, and the US.
Tesla’s shipments of electric vehicles made in China fell 19% year over year in February before increasing by 0.2% in March. However, the drop coincided with a 25% decline in China’s total EV sales in February, which was partially caused by the Chinese Lunar New Year falling in February this year rather than January.
