China’s Passenger Car Sales Slump as Automakers Race Overseas

Retail sales of passenger vehicles on the Chinese mainland fell 20.2% year-on-year in the first half of 2026 to 8.7 million units, as domestic demand weakened across all powertrains.

The sharp contraction underscores the mounting pressure on Chinese automakers at home and is accelerating their push overseas, where surging exports are reshaping the global auto industry.