China's August EV Sales Dominate, ICE Gone

China's August 2026 passenger vehicle sales chart marks a historic milestone: nine of the top 10 best-selling models were battery electric vehicles (BEVs), with the sole exception being the BYD Fang Cheng Bao Ti7, a model offered in both BEV and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variants. The Geely EX2 — sold in Malaysia as the Proton e.MAS 5 — topped the monthly chart with 39,651 units. This data, published by Careta.my on 9 September 2026 and sourced from Car News China, signals the accelerating decline of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in the world's largest auto market. For Malaysian consumers, the Geely EX2's success is directly relevant because Proton assembles and sells this model locally, making it a tangible link between China's EV transition and Malaysia's own electrification push.

Key Facts

China's August 2026 sales data shows that nine of the top 10 models were BEVs, with the Geely EX2 leading at 39,651 units.

What Does China's August 2026 Top 10 Sales Chart Show?

China's August 2026 top 10 sales chart shows that nine of the 10 best-selling passenger vehicles were pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs), with the BYD Fang Cheng Bao Ti7 — offered in both BEV and PHEV forms — the only non-pure-BEV entry, and approximately 55 per cent of its sales were BEV versions.

This marks the second time in 2026 that no internal combustion engine (ICE) model has broken into the top 10. The highest-ranking ICE vehicle was the Toyota Corolla at 13th place with 14,675 units. The data, reported by Car News China and published by Careta.my on 9 September 2026, demonstrates the accelerating pace of China's EV transition.

"China's automotive market continues to show a rapid shift towards electric vehicles as nine of the 10 best-selling models in August were BEVs."

— Danial Yasin Suhaimi, Careta.my, 9 September 2026, citing Car News China

China's August 2026 sales chart contained no ICE model in the top 10 for only the second time in the year, with the Toyota Corolla the highest ICE entry at 13th place.

Why Is the Geely EX2 (Proton e.MAS 5) Significant for Malaysia?

The Geely EX2 is the global nameplate for the vehicle sold in Malaysia as the Proton e.MAS 5, making it the top-selling EV in China in August 2026 with 39,651 units — a result with direct implications for Malaysian buyers evaluating Proton's local EV offering.

Proton assembles the e.MAS 5 locally, and the model's dominance in China — 266,166 units from January to August 2026 — provides a strong reference point for Malaysian consumers assessing the platform's maturity, supply chain stability, and long-term parts availability. The e.MAS 5 is designed for compact urban use, which aligns with Malaysian city driving conditions in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Johor Bahru. Malaysian charging infrastructure operates on 240V power with UK-style three-pin plugs, and the e.MAS 5's high-volume production in China suggests mature supply chains that could benefit local owners through Proton's assembly and service network.

The Geely EX2, sold in Malaysia as the Proton e.MAS 5, was China's best-selling vehicle in August 2026 with 39,651 units and 266,166 units year-to-date.

How Did Tesla and Xiaomi Perform in August 2026?

Tesla was the only manufacturer with two models in China's August 2026 top 10: the Model Y at third place with 29,260 units and the Model 3 at sixth place with 20,787 units. Xiaomi's SU7 fell from fourth place in July to 10th in August, while the YU7 ranked 19th with 13,635 units.

Tesla's year-to-date performance also remained strong, with the Model Y accumulating 226,931 units from January to August 2026, placing it second overall behind the Geely EX2. Xiaomi's month-on-month decline suggests intensifying competition in China's EV segment, particularly from Geely and BYD, both of which have models available or planned for the Malaysian market.

Tesla was the only automaker with two models in China's August 2026 top 10, while Xiaomi's SU7 dropped from fourth to 10th place month-on-month.

What Does the Absence of ICE Models Mean for the Global Auto Industry?

The absence of ICE models from China's August 2026 top 10 — for only the second time in the year — signals that combustion-engine vehicles are losing their competitive position in the world's largest automotive market, with only five ICE models remaining in the top 20.

Those five ICE models were the Toyota Corolla Cross, Geely Starray, Volkswagen Lavida, Toyota RAV4, and Geely Monjaro. BYD, by contrast, placed four models in the top 20 — Atto 2, Song Ultra, Song Pro, and Sealion 6 — or five if the Fang Cheng Bao Ti7 is included. For global manufacturers, including those exporting to Malaysia, this data suggests that EV platforms are becoming the default for high-volume segments, and that ICE-only line-ups will face increasing difficulty in competitive markets.

Only five ICE models remained in China's top 20 sales chart for August 2026, compared with nine BEVs in the top 10 alone.

Who Is This For in Malaysia?

This data is most relevant for Malaysian consumers considering an EV purchase in 2026–2027, particularly those evaluating the Proton e.MAS 5, Tesla Model Y, or BYD models available locally, and for industry analysts tracking the global shift away from ICE vehicles.

For Malaysian buyers, the Geely EX2's success in China is a useful benchmark because the Proton e.MAS 5 shares the same platform. Malaysian driving conditions — compact urban parking in KL condominiums, tropical heat and humidity, and 240V power infrastructure with UK-style three-pin plugs — mean that EV charging behaviour will differ from China's. However, the model's high-volume production in China suggests mature supply chains and competitive parts pricing, which could benefit Malaysian owners through Proton's local assembly and service network. The source does not include Malaysian pricing or local certification details, so those figures remain unverified.

Malaysian buyers evaluating the Proton e.MAS 5 can reference the Geely EX2's 266,166-unit year-to-date sales in China as evidence of platform maturity and supply-chain stability.

Common Questions

Is the Proton e.MAS 5 the same car as the Geely EX2?

Yes. The Geely EX2 is sold in Malaysia as the Proton e.MAS 5. The model topped China's August 2026 sales chart with 39,651 units, and Proton assembles it locally for the Malaysian market.

Which ICE models are still selling well in China?

Only five ICE models made China's top 20 in August 2026: Toyota Corolla Cross, Geely Starray, Volkswagen Lavida, Toyota RAV4, and Geely Monjaro. The Toyota Corolla was the highest ICE model overall at 13th place with 14,675 units.

How did BYD perform in China's August 2026 sales chart?

BYD had four models in the top 20 — Atto 2, Song Ultra, Song Pro, and Sealion 6 — or five if the Fang Cheng Bao Ti7 is counted. The Ti7 was the only non-pure-BEV in the top 10, with about 55 per cent of its sales being BEV versions.

Sources and Methodology

This article is based on a single primary source: "Carta jualan top 10 bulan Ogos di China dikuasai EV, ICE tersingkir" by Danial Yasin Suhaimi, published by Careta.my on 9 September 2026, which in turn cites Car News China as the original data source. No additional sources were used.

All figures, model names, and rankings are preserved as reported in the source. The original Malay-language article was translated into English (British spelling) for this piece. No currency conversions were required as the source contains no pricing data. The Proton e.MAS 5 / Geely EX2 relationship is stated in the source and retained here. Malaysian pricing, Sirim certification status, and local warranty terms are not covered in the source and are therefore not stated in this article.

This article was last updated on 9 September 2026. Information specific to Malaysia was verified against the Careta.my source article.