China EV price-war tracker
Sixteen models, launch list price against the latest list price or standing discount. The average is -8%; Seagull / Dolphin Surf is down 24% while Xiaomi has not cut a yuan. Timeline of every round below, including the regulators' 2026 attempt to stop it. Prices in yuan; the toggle at the bottom converts.
-8%average change, launch to latest
-24%Seagull / Dolphin Surf, biggest cut
7 of 16models with no list-price cut
5+regulator interventions since 2025
Change from launch price
| Model | Launch price | Launched | Latest price | As of | Change | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BYD Seagull / Dolphin Surf | ¥73,800 $10,332 | 2023-04 | ¥55,800 $7,812 | 2025-05 | -24% | Cut to ¥55,800 in the May 2025 round; Dolphin Surf in Europe from €19,990. |
| BYD Qin Plus DM-i | ¥99,800 $13,972 | 2023-02 | ¥76,900 $10,766 | 2026-03 | -23% | Honor Edition ¥79,800 (Feb 2024); third generation from ¥76,900 at launch. |
| BYD Atto 3 / Yuan Plus | ¥139,800 $19,572 | 2022-02 | ¥115,800 $16,212 | 2025-05 | -17% | Cut to ¥115,800 in May 2025. |
| BYD Seal | ¥209,800 $29,372 | 2022-07 | ¥175,800 $24,612 | 2025-05 | -16% | 2025 refresh from ¥175,800; EU price €34,455 (Spain 2026). |
| XPeng G6 | ¥209,900 $29,386 | 2023-06 | ¥176,800 $24,752 | 2025-03 | -16% | 2025 model relaunched ¥33,100 lower. |
| Tesla Model 3 (RWD) | ¥265,900 $37,226 | 2021-01 | ¥235,500 $32,970 | 2025-09 | -11% | ¥229,900 at the January 2023 cut; ¥235,500 after the 2025 refresh; financing subsidies in 2026. |
| Tesla Model Y (RWD) | ¥291,800 $40,852 | 2021-01 | ¥263,500 $36,890 | 2025-02 | -10% | ¥259,900 low in 2023; refreshed Juniper ¥263,500. |
| NIO ET5 | ¥328,000 $45,920 | 2022-09 | ¥298,000 $41,720 | 2024-03 | -9% | Base price cut ¥30,000 in 2024; BaaS from ¥228,000. |
| NIO (Onvo) L60 | ¥206,900 $28,966 | 2024-09 | ¥199,900 $27,986 | 2025-06 | -3% | ¥149,900 with battery rental; list trimmed ¥7,000 in 2025. |
| Xiaomi SU7 | ¥215,900 $30,226 | 2024-03 | ¥215,900 $30,226 | 2026-10 | +0% | Launch price held; Xiaomi competes on waiting lists, not cuts. SU7 Ultra ¥529,900. |
| Xiaomi YU7 | ¥253,500 $35,490 | 2025-06 | ¥253,500 $35,490 | 2026-10 | +0% | Held at launch price; deliveries still backlogged. |
| XPeng Mona M03 | ¥119,800 $16,772 | 2024-08 | ¥119,800 $16,772 | 2026-10 | +0% | Launched low on purpose; 2025 Max trim ¥155,800. |
| Leapmotor C10 | ¥128,800 $18,032 | 2024-03 | ¥128,800 $18,032 | 2026-10 | +0% | Subsidised loans and insurance instead of list cuts (2026). |
| Leapmotor B10 | ¥99,800 $13,972 | 2025-04 | ¥99,800 $13,972 | 2026-10 | +0% | Launched under ¥100,000 with lidar option. |
| Li Auto L6 | ¥249,800 $34,972 | 2024-04 | ¥249,800 $34,972 | 2026-10 | +0% | Held; Li discounts via options and financing. |
| Zeekr 7X | ¥229,900 $32,186 | 2024-09 | ¥229,900 $32,186 | 2026-10 | +0% | Held; Europe from €52,990. |
Entry-trim list prices in China; USD at ¥1 = $0.14. Financing subsidies and insurance credits are not counted, so real transaction prices in 2026 sit below the "latest" column. Sources: CnEVPost price news · Caixin: Beijing warns carmakers as price war escalates (Jan 16, 2026) · SCMP: EV sector doubles down on discounts and cheap financing · Automotive World: regulators draft rules to end EV price war.
Timeline
| 2026-10 | Discounting shifts to financing: zero-interest loans, insurance subsidies and trade-in bonuses replace list-price cuts after the January warning; analysts expect the war to 'evolve in form' into 2027. (SCMP / Citi) |
| 2026-03 | Average discounts on BYD vehicles hit a record 10% (Bloomberg) despite BYD avoiding headline list-price cuts. (Bloomberg via SCMP) |
| 2026-02 | SAMR drafts rules barring sales below cost, the first attempt at a legal price floor for NEVs. (Automotive World) |
| 2026-01-16 | Regulators summon NEV executives for at least the fifth time since 2025 and warn of 'severe penalties' for a new round of cuts. (Caixin) |
| 2025-07 | Industry ministry and SAMR press makers to end 'involution-style' competition; BYD pledges to self-regulate. (Policycn / Reuters) |
| 2025-05-23 | BYD cuts prices on 22 models by up to 34% (Seagull to ¥55,800), triggering a sector-wide sell-off and the fiercest round of the war. (CnEVPost) |
| 2025-02 | BYD makes 'God's Eye' driver assistance standard on cars from ¥69,800, forcing rivals to match on features rather than price. (BYD) |
| 2024-02-19 | BYD opens the 2024 round with the Qin Plus DM-i Honor Edition at ¥79,800 ('electricity is cheaper than oil'). (BYD) |
| 2023-01-06 | Tesla cuts Model 3 and Model Y prices in China by 6–14%; the price war begins. (Tesla China) |