• Strong export growth continued to offset declining domestic deliveries in China.
• Third-quarter wholesale sales reached a record 275,111 vehicles, while domestic deliveries in China accounted for 29.21% of global deliveries.

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) China's wholesale sales reached 95,366 vehicles in September, the highest monthly total this year, as export growth continued to offset pressure in the domestic market.

The China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) released the figures on Friday. Wholesale sales include domestic sales in China and exports from Tesla's Shanghai factory.

Tesla China's September wholesale sales rose 5.01% year-on-year and 10.68% from August, marking the ninth consecutive month of year-on-year growth this year, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.

The total surpassed July's 93,579 vehicles, making it the highest monthly figure this year and the strongest since December 2025.

Exports were the main driver of growth. The Shanghai factory exported 30,529 vehicles in September, up 58.29% year-on-year, despite a 15.48% decline from August.

Meanwhile, Tesla delivered 64,837 vehicles in China, still below the year-earlier level. Domestic deliveries fell 9.35% year-on-year but rose 29.55% from August.

This marked the fourth consecutive month of year-on-year declines in Tesla's China deliveries, though the drop narrowed from August's 12.43%.

In the first 9 months of the year, Tesla China's wholesale sales totaled 743,060 vehicles, up 22.54% year-on-year, slowing from 25.63% growth in the first 8 months.

Domestic deliveries totaled 381,088 vehicles, down 11.93% year-on-year, while exports from the Shanghai factory reached 361,972 vehicles, up 108.44%.

Exports accounted for 48.71% of wholesale sales in the first 9 months, up from 28.64% a year earlier, underscoring the growing support from overseas markets for the Shanghai factory's sales.

Third-quarter wholesale sales hit record

Tesla China's third-quarter wholesale sales reached a record 275,111 vehicles, up 13.73% year-on-year and 8.08% from the second quarter.

Domestic deliveries totaled 142,133 vehicles, down 16.04% year-on-year but up 12.66% from the second quarter, marking the sixth consecutive quarterly year-on-year decline.

The Shanghai factory exported 132,978 vehicles during the period, up 83.18% year-on-year and 3.57% from the second quarter, also setting a quarterly record.

Tesla previously reported global deliveries of 486,532 vehicles for the third quarter, down 2.13% year-on-year but up 1.33% from the second quarter, exceeding the market estimate of 463,761 vehicles.

Domestic deliveries in China accounted for 29.21% of Tesla's third-quarter global deliveries, down from 34.06% a year earlier but up from 26.28% in the second quarter.

The Shanghai factory's quarterly wholesale sales, including exports, were equivalent to 56.55% of Tesla's global deliveries during the period.

Tesla has continued to pursue orders through promotions and product updates as domestic sales remain under pressure.

On September 25, the company announced final-payment reductions of 5,000 yuan ($740) across the Model 3 lineup and 7,000 yuan for selected Model Y variants for customers who place orders by October 31, inclusive, and take delivery under the terms of their orders.

On October 1, Tesla announced a 16-inch central touchscreen upgrade for the Model 3 sold in China and added a light gray premium interior option, with no accompanying price changes.