Tesla China retail sales fall 10% in April despite reports of 36% surge

Tesla’s actual retail sales in China fell 10% year-over-year in April to just 25,956 vehicles, according to new data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) — despite widespread reports last week that Tesla’s China sales had surged 36%. The discrepancy is the same one we’ve been flagging for months: the 36% figure is based on wholesale numbers from Giga Shanghai, which include exports. The retail figure, which reflects what Chinese consumers actually bought, tells a very different story.