A customer experiences a test drive of a Tesla in Xiangcheng district, Suzhou. [Photo/Suzhou Broadcasting System]

The Suzhou Automobile Circulation Association revealed on Jan 9 that Suzhou hit an all-time high in car sales in 2023, with 457,000 vehicles sold, up 5.8 percent year-on-year.

Last year's combined sales reached 457,054 units, a 5.8 percent year-on-year increase. Traditional fuel vehicle sales tallied 305,228 units, a dip of 2.87 percent, while the sales of new energy vehicles soared to 151,826 units, marking a growth of 28.92 percent.

Since the kickoff of the "Double 12" Suzhou Shopping Festival last year, the city has been ablaze with excitement for car purchases, fueled by a billion-yuan ($139.6 million) injection in car subsidies at the city level and enticing discounts from various dealers.

According to the Tesla Service Center in the city's Xiangcheng district, recent figures show a robust surge of 30 percent to 40 percent in the sales of new energy vehicles compared to pre-"Double 12" times. The peak of the surge resulted in the delivery of 200 units on the highest single day.

Wang Chao, vice-chairman of the Suzhou Automobile Circulation Association, foresees an unyielding upward trajectory in Suzhou's car sales market for the current year.