A look back at a transformative year in China's auto industry

Editor's note: China's automotive industry accelerated its transition to electrification and intelligence in 2025, marked by key policy shifts, robust growth and major technological advances from both domestic and international automakers. Below are the top 10 picks from China Daily's motoring editors.

New energy vehicles exceed 50 percent of market share

Since March, the market share of new energy vehicles has exceeded 50 percent in China's domestic retail passenger vehicle market, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association. In November, the rate increased to 59.3 percent, up 7 percentage points from the same period in 2024. Preliminary estimates indicate that NEV retail sales in December could reach approximately 1.38 million units, potentially pushing the monthly penetration rate above 60 percent for the first time. December marked the end of the long-standing purchase tax exemption policy for NEVs. From Jan 1, the policy of exempting NEVs from purchase tax has been adjusted to a policy of collecting the tax at half the usual rate, reflecting the market's evolution from policy-driven growth to a more mature, market-led phase.