China’s EV market is four separate shifts
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In China, electric vehicles are not being adopted at a single rate across all types of transportation, but rather through four distinct transitions.
City buses in China are largely electric, with most new purchases replacing existing electric fleets rather than diesel ones. The International Energy Agency estimates that nearly 70% of China’s electric buses were deployed before 2020.
Passenger car sales show electric vehicles accounting for just over half of all new car sales in 2025, with buyers having access to almost 700 different electric models. Electric heavy trucks are also gaining traction, reaching about 29% of sales in 2025, particularly in industries like ports and mining where predictable routes and dedicated charging infrastructure are common.
However, electric intercity coaches only made up about 10% of sales in 2025, due to competition from China’s extensive high-speed rail network, which totals over 50,000 kilometers and carried 4.5 billion passengers in 2025. This means that while coaches are growing, a portion of potential passengers already use rail for long-distance travel.
Analysts suggest that other countries should focus on supporting electric vehicle categories where the technology and infrastructure already align with the needs of the work being done, rather than attempting to move all sectors at the same pace.
