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BEIJING, Nov 10 (Reuters) - China’s car sales fell in October from a year earlier, snapping an eight-month growth streak, as consumer sentiment weakened amid reduced tax exemptions and government subsidies.
Car sales edged down 0.8% to 2.27 million units last month versus a 6.6% increase in September, data from the China Passenger Car Association showed on Monday.
Growth in sales of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids slowed with a 7.3% rise against a 15.5% gain in September.
With purchase tax breaks of up to 30,000 yuan ($4,211.71) for EVs and PHEVs due to halve from 2026, an increasing number of carmakers including Xiaomi (1810.HK) , Nio (9866.HK) , Li Auto (2015.HK) have offered subsidies of up to 15,000 yuan to encourage orders to be delivered next year.
Meanwhile, government subsidies that spurred more than 12 million auto trade-ins this year are dwindling as the consumer subsidy scheme draws to a close at year end.
Nearly 20 provinces and cities have suspended or tightened subsidised auto trade-ins, dampening consumers’ buying activity, said Cui Dongshu, secretary-general at the association.
Young people not keen on buying a car also result in a dearth of first-time car buyers, he added.
Tepid demand only intensifies competition in the world’s largest auto market.
Local EV bellwether BYD (1211.HK) (002594.SZ) extended a sales decline last month, while Geely (GEELY.UL) and Leapmotor (9863.HK) both refreshed sales records, leading a challenge against BYD in the budget segment.
One model that could compete with BYD’s cheapest EV offering Dolphin is the Aion UT super EV. With a 500 km driving range and CATL’s battery-swapping technology, the new car is competitively priced at 49,900 yuan.
With strong overseas shipments from BYD and others to diversify beyond the home turf, China’s car export growth quickened to 27.7% from 20.7% in September, CPCA data showed.
($1 = 7.1230 Chinese yuan)

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China's car sales fell 0.8% in October, ending an eight-month growth streak, as consumer sentiment weakened due to reduced tax exemptions and government subsidies. Sales of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids also slowed, rising only 7.3% compared to 15.5% in September. With government subsidies dwindling and many provinces tightening trade-in schemes, demand has weakened, particularly among young buyers. Despite this, car exports grew by 27.7%, indicating a shift towards international markets for Chinese automakers.

- China's car sales fell by 0.8% in October, ending an eight-month growth streak, as consumer sentiment weakened due to reduced tax exemptions and subsidies.  
- Sales of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids also slowed, with a 7.3% increase compared to a 15.5% rise in September, as government subsidies are set to decline.  
- The decline in consumer interest, particularly among young buyers, intensifies competition in the auto market, while exports from China saw a growth of 27.7%.

China's car sales contract in October after 8-month expansion