Over the last few years, China has transitioned the world’s largest automobile market from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles faster than any other major global economy. China sold more electric vehicles in 2025 than the rest of the world combined.
Half of the new cars sold in China are electric vehicles or hybrids that run on both electricity and gas. Around one-third of all new heavy-duty trucks are purely electric, according to the latest available data from the China Passenger Car Association.
By comparison, in the United States, around 22 percent of new cars sold in 2025 were hybrid or electric vehicles, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Electric vehicle sales plunged over the last few months of the year after a chunky federal tax credit expired.