China sold more electrified cars than combustion ones for the first time. It's now also targeting German luxury
18.06.2026 11:49
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The Chinese automotive market passed a historic turning point last year: for the first time in full-year statistics, China sold more electrified cars than purely combustion-engine ones. So-called "new energy" vehicles — in Chinese statistics this includes both electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids — accounted for roughly 51 percent of the entire market according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), with the share even higher for passenger cars. In April 2026, it even exceeded 59 percent of retail sales of passenger cars. CnEVPost ↗
Key actors — tap for context
BYD
The largest Chinese manufacturer of electric vehicles and hybrids, which has overtaken Tesla in sales
Why here: Its data also revealed a shift within the market — plug-in hybrids are starting to overtake purely electric cars
Denza
A premium brand of the BYD group (above regular BYD, below the ultra-luxury Yangwang)
Why here: Launched sales in Europe in April 2026 and is openly targeting German luxury brands
It's not just electric vehicles
China's "new energy" category includes plug-in hybrids alongside purely electric cars — and it is the hybrids that are gaining momentum. In April 2026, according to its monthly figures, BYD sold more plug-in hybrids (157,200) than purely electric vehicles (156,900) for the first time, pointing to a broader shift in the market. For buyers put off by limited range and a sparse charging network, hybrids are a compromise; for Chinese manufacturers, they are another way to push out conventional petrol and diesel engines. Eletric-vehicles ↗
An attack on German luxury
The expansion does not stop at China's borders. In April 2026, the premium BYD brand Denza launched European sales of the Z9 GT in Paris — a sports vehicle with three motors, output of over 900 horsepower, and a 0–100 km/h time of under three seconds. It is aimed directly at Porsche, the BMW i5, and Mercedes; in Europe it sells for roughly upward of 115,000 euros, about three times the Chinese price. By the end of the year, Denza aims to be present in more than 30 European countries. For the German automotive industry — on which a large number of Slovak jobs also depend — this means competition not only in the budget segment but now also in the most profitable premium segment. Electrek ↗
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