BEIJING, March 8 Reuters China39;s electric vehicle sales slowed in the opening months of this year, industry data showed on Friday, with competition intensifying as market leader BYD headed a deeper round of price cuts.

Sales of batterypowered EVs rose 18.2 in JanuaryFebruary versus 20.8 for all of 2023, showed data from the China Passenger Car Association.

Together with plugin hybrids, new energy vehicle NEV sales jumped 37.5 in the twomonth period, versus 36.2 for 2023. The result outpaced the overall passenger vehicle market39;s 16.3 growth as widespread discounts fuelled demand.

NEVs accounted for 33.5 of total car sales in JanuaryFebruary versus 28.3 in the same period a year earlier, grabbing market share from petrolpowered cars of which sales rose 7.8.

Some EVs are priced on a par with petrolpowered cars, pressuring sales of the latter, said Cui Dongshu, secretary general of the association, told reporters on Friday.

BYD this year has lowered prices more than rivals and across a wider number of models. It has cut prices of the 13 models that made up 93 of its total 2023 China sales by 17 on average, Reuters calculations showed.

Cuts include nearly 12 for its bestselling Yuan Plus crossover or the Atto 3 overseas and 5 for its lowestpriced EV Seagull.

A dozen automakers have joined the price war, including Geely Auto, GAC Aion, Leapmotor and Xpeng, with discounts mostly ranging from 9 to 17.

The price cuts came as BYD39;s NEV market share fell to 30.7 in…