The September sales included 3,853 that were exported, the data showed.

Tesla, which is making Model 3 sedans and Model Y sport-utility vehicles in Shanghai, sold 44,264 China-made vehicles in August, including 31,379 that were exported.

Chinese EV makers Nio Inc and Xpeng Inc delivered over 10,000 vehicles each last month. Volkswagen AG said it sold 10,126 ID. series EVs in China in September.

CPCA said passenger car sales in China in September totalled 1.6 million, down 17% from a year earlier.

(Reporting by Yilei Sun and Brenda Goh; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Muralikumar Anantharaman)