Internal combustion engine vehicles have disappeared from China’s passenger car retail sales top 10 for the first time, highlighting the pace of the country’s shift toward electrification.
According to May retail sales rankings published by Dongchedi, all ten of China’s best-selling passenger vehicles were new energy vehicles (NEVs), spanning battery-electric, extended-range and plug-in hybrid models. Xingyuan topped the market with 38,751 units sold, followed by Tesla’s Model Y at 28,911 units. Xiaomi’s SU7 ranked third, while Leapmotor’s A10 and Li Auto’s i6 completed the top five.
The transformation has been remarkably swift. In April, Geely’s Binyue was still the only gasoline-powered vehicle in the top 10. In March, five combustion-engine models remained on the list, while seven were ranked among the top sellers at the start of 2026.
In less than six months, fuel-powered vehicles have gone from dominating China’s best-selling passenger car rankings to disappearing entirely from the leaderboard.
The milestone reflects changing consumer preferences in the world’s largest automotive market. Fierce competition among EV makers, broader model offerings and continued charging infrastructure expansion have accelerated the transition away from conventional powertrains.
Although gasoline vehicles still represent a substantial portion of China’s vehicle fleet, May’s rankings suggest that the country’s new-car market has entered a new phase, with electrified models firmly at the center of demand.
