Tesla sold 33,463 Chinese-made electric cars in May, including exports, a 29% jump from April, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) released on Tuesday.
Sales of new electric vehicles in the Asian country soared 177% in May, to 185,000 units, compared to the previous year, the CPCA said. However, total passenger vehicle sales increased just 1.1%, to 1.66 million.
The sales of Elon Musk's company in China, which account for almost a third of its total sales, are seen in great detail as a sign of the health of the American company in its second-largest market, in which it has invested heavily. And he often changes his own marketing manual to attract customers.
Tesla, which makes its Model 3 sedans and Model Y sports utility vehicles in Shanghai, exported 11,527 vehicles made in China in May. In April, it sold 25,845 cars made in that country, compared to 35,478 in March.
The Model 3s were the best-selling electric vehicles in the Asian nation, before being surpassed by a much cheaper one manufactured by the joint venture created between General Motors and SAIC Motor.
The American company is also facing growing competition in China from conventional electric car companies such as BYD and startups such as Nio Inc and Xpeng Inc.
The CPCA said it expects China to sell 2.4 million electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell passenger vehicles this year.
