The eternal dilemma: should we opt for a fuel vehicle or an electric vehicle?

This philosophical question remains unresolved, sparking heated debates.

Chengdu, which topped domestic auto sales last year, owes its success to the surge in new energy vehicles. In July, sales of fuel vehicles declined by 12.67%, whereas pure electric and hybrid vehicles witnessed a year-on-year increase of 17.76%, respectively. The disparity is striking.

Here's my take: while electric vehicles are undeniably gaining popularity, the extreme notion that "fuel vehicles are doomed" might not bode well for the long-term development of the market and industry.

If you're still undecided, let's delve into a classic and emblematic model – the Dongfeng Nissan Sylphy.

In May, despite a record-high retail penetration rate of 52.9% for electric vehicles, Dongfeng Nissan Sylphy still secured the top sales spot in the compact car segment.

Its cumulative sales reached 28,618 units, marking a year-on-year growth, exuding an air of unwavering confidence that says, "What's Up? What Can We Do?"

The compact car market has always been a fiercely competitive arena. As the "fuel vs. electric" debate intensifies, this battle has reached a fever pitch. Yet, Sylphy has consistently maintained its market share.

However, it's important to note that Sylphy's sales performance does not mirror that of Dongfeng Nissan as a whole.

On June 9, Nissan Motor announced its sales figures for May 2025 in China. The company sold 57,998 vehicles (including Infiniti imported models), a 9.7% year-on-year decrease from the 64,233 vehicles sold in the same period last year.

Among these, besides Sylphy's impressive sales of 28,618 units, other models such as Qashqai (9,379 units), Altima (5,297 units), X-Trail (3,677 units), Nissan N7 (3,034 units), and Terra (701 units) all fell below the 10,000-unit mark.

Even more alarmingly, Nissan's sales in China have been declining year-on-year for six consecutive years, with the drops becoming increasingly steep. In 2021, Nissan sold approximately 1.38 million new vehicles in China, but this figure plummeted to 1.045 million in 2022 (a 22.1% year-on-year decrease), further dropping to 793,000 in 2023 (-24.2%), and falling to only 696,000 in 2024, down another 12.2% year-on-year. This year is projected to be even more challenging.

Conclusion

Many might argue that Sylphy's sales are solely a result of price cuts. While I don't dispute this, who can deny that this isn't a form of resilience, a way to uphold brand dignity, right?