Nearly half of Chinese car buyers prefer electric vehicles

By Dat Nguyen December 11, 2025 | 03:00 pm PT

47% of car buyers in China are opting for battery electric vehicles over other types of cars, driven by affordability, wider model choices and improved charging infrastructure, a survey has found.

This marks a rise from 25% in the previous survey in February, according to a Bloomberg Intelligence survey, which in November polled 1,000 people planning to buy a car within the next 12 months.

The audience visits BYD's new energy vehicles exhibition area at the 2025 Nanjing International Auto Show in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China, on October 1, 2025. Photo by NurPhoto via AFP

Including current car owners, 52% of respondents said their next vehicle will likely be battery-powered, up from 34% in February.

"The country beats Europe and the U.S. with battery electric vehicles already reaching price parity versus petrol cars, while consumers’ strong interests in advanced tech features give local start-ups and tech giants Huawei Technologies and Xiaomi Corp stronger edge in the fierce market competition," Bloomberg Intelligence analysts say.

New-energy vehicles, covering both electric vehicles and hybrids, are projected to make up more than half of China’s new-car sales in 2025 for the first time, with pure battery electric vehicles accounting for just over a quarter, according to industry data.

Anlysts noted that phasing out subsidies could allow more investment in charging networks. The government aims to have 28 million charging facilities by 2027, an increase of more than 50% from current levels, to support rising demand.

Major battery manufacturers are also pushing advancements in ultra-fast charging.

BYD says its latest batteries can provide around 400 km of range with a five-minute charge, while Contemporary Amperex Technology’s upgraded Shenxing battery delivers 520 km with the same charging time.