China Top 10 Cars: Why Petrol Models Are Missing in August

China’s August car sales show a powertrain shift that Indian buyers should watch closely. Nine of the country’s ten best-selling passenger cars were battery electric vehicles, with the Fang Cheng Bao Ti7 the only model in the list also available as a PHEV.

Geely EX2 Leads China With 39,651 Sales

Geely EX2 was China’s top-selling passenger car in August, with 39,651 units. Its price is 64,800 to 94,800 yuan, roughly Rs 9.2 lakh to Rs 13.5 lakh. Leapmotor A10 followed with 30,652 units and costs around 66,000 to 87,000 yuan, or approximately Rs 9.4 lakh to Rs 12.4 lakh.

The Tesla Model Y was third at 29,260 units, despite its much higher price of around 264,000 to 314,000 yuan, equivalent to roughly Rs 37.5 lakh to Rs 44.6 lakh.

The Top 10 Has Nine BEVs

• Geely EX2: 39,651 units
• Leapmotor A10: 30,652 units
• Tesla Model Y: 29,260 units
• Fang Cheng Bao Ti7: 23,471 units
• BYD Atto 2: 22,958 units

Fang Cheng Bao Ti7 was fourth with 23,471 sales. It is the only model among the top 10 available in both BEV and PHEV forms, while BEVs made up about 55% of its August sales. BYD Atto 2, Tesla Model 3, Changan Nevo Q05, Li Auto i6, BYD Dolphin and Xiaomi SU7 filled the remaining positions.

Toyota Corolla First Pure ICE At No 13

The bigger point is not just which cars sold the most, but what powers them. China’s top 10 together recorded 2,34,454 sales, and no conventional petrol-only car made the list. Toyota Corolla was the first pure ICE model at No. 13 with 14,675 units, making August the second month in 2026 when ICE cars were absent from China’s top 10.

India Still Runs On ICE And CNG

India’s August chart looked very different. Punch/Punch EV led with 21,320 units, followed by WagonR at 20,180 and Swift at 19,832. Fronx, Ertiga, Nexon/Nexon EV, Dzire, Creta/Creta EV, Baleno and Scorpio/Scorpio N completed the top 10.

For Indian buyers, the interesting question is whether affordable EVs can eventually take the same share here, or whether petrol, diesel and CNG will remain the safer choice for most owners.

Are you already considering an EV over petrol or CNG for your next car?