Batteries and AI versus petrol: China's EV share hits 56.9% — prices fall, infrastructure catches up
1.5 million sales in a month, up from 40.9% in 2024 to 50.8% in 2025. BYD and Leapmotor now offer models with driver assistance for under 100,000 yuan, base EVs for around 80,000. Nearly 22 million charging points nationwide. Sensors read the driver's mood.
As reported by CCTV+, according to the latest data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), new energy vehicles (NEVs) accounted for 56.9% of all new car sales in China in May, compared with 50.8% in 2025 and 40.9% in 2024. With nearly 1.5 million units sold last month, the NEV market continues to grow at a pace exceeding global expectations.
Chen Shihua, Deputy Secretary‑General of CAAM, attributed the growth to a combination of falling costs, rapid technological renewal and a fundamental shift in consumer preferences. Even as sales of traditional petrol cars decline, NEVs are charting their own growth trajectory. For Chinese buyers, the appeal of NEVs goes far beyond cost savings. The battle has shifted to the software‑defined cabin. Domestic AI models are increasingly integrated into vehicles, turning driving from a mechanical task into something intuitive.
Some models now use sensors and facial recognition to gauge the driver's mood, automatically adjusting cabin lighting, music and even fragrance. As a dealership manager in Chongqing noted, consumers no longer fixate on engine power; they prioritise intelligent features and overall ease of use. This tech‑forward trend is accompanied by sharp price declines. As battery material costs stabilise and advanced manufacturing technologies such as integrated die‑casting are adopted, automakers pass the savings directly to consumers. Brands like BYD and Leapmotor now offer vehicles with advanced driver‑assistance systems for under 100,000 yuan, with some basic EV models priced at around 80,000 yuan.
Charging infrastructure, long seen as a potential bottleneck, is also keeping pace with demand. According to the National Energy Administration, nearly 22 million charging points had been deployed across China by April. The network now extends from urban centres to remote rural areas, turning the promise of charging as convenient as refuelling into reality for millions of drivers. Government incentives, including subsidies for trading in old cars for new ones, are further fuelling the shift.
When every second new car in the country runs on a plug and the price of an EV drops below 80,000 yuan, petrol ceases to be a symbol of freedom — it becomes a symbol of the past. China is not just switching to electricity; it is rewriting the very concept of the car. The car no longer just drives. It senses your mood, picks the music, adjusts the light. It is no longer transport. It is a companion. And as nearly 22 million charging points weave a network across the country and batteries get cheaper by the month, the world looks at China and sees: the future has arrived. It is not in prototypes or promises. It is in your neighbour's garage.
