Exports help BYD to win back sales crown

BYD reclaimed China's monthly auto sales crown in May, overtaking SAIC Motor for the first time in five months, as robust overseas demand and strong performance from its premium brands helped offset persistent pressure in the domestic market.

BYD sold 383,453 vehicles in May, up 0.25 percent from a year earlier, according to company data. The increase was modest but marked the automaker's first return to year-on-year growth after eight consecutive months of declines.

The result was enough to push BYD back ahead of State-owned rival SAIC Motor, which reported May sales of 348,988 vehicles, down 4.62 percent from a year earlier.

The latest figures underscore how China's largest automakers are increasingly relying on exports and higher-end products to maintain growth as intense competition continues to weigh on the world's biggest auto market.

For BYD, the recovery was driven largely by businesses outside its traditional mass-market lineup. Combined sales of its Dynasty and Ocean series, which remain the group's volume backbone, fell 5.22 percent to 330,215 vehicles.

By contrast, premium and specialty brands posted much stronger growth.

Fangchengbao sold 30,186 vehicles, up 139.7 percent year-on-year, while Denza delivered 16,303 units, up 3.14 percent. Ultra-luxury marque Yangwang more than doubled sales to 286 vehicles.

Exports remained the company's fastest-growing segment. BYD sold 160,644 vehicles overseas in May, up 80.4 percent from a year earlier and a record for the company. Overseas markets accounted for roughly 42 percent of its total monthly sales.

In April, it outsold Toyota, Lexus and Honda combined in South Korea, according to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association. It was also the first time Chinese brands overtook Japanese ones in the South Korean market.

SAIC continued to shift its business toward self-owned brands and new energy vehicles, even as weakness in its traditional joint-venture operations dragged on overall results.

Sales at SAIC Motor Passenger Vehicle, which includes Roewe and MG, rose 37.67 percent year-on-year to 100,429 units, while SAIC Maxus and premium EV brand IM Motors posted gains of 43.66 percent and 77.54 percent, respectively.

Combined sales of SAIC's own brands exceeded 260,000 vehicles in May, accounting for more than three-fourths of the group's total deliveries.

The company's new energy vehicle sales climbed 46.49 percent to 182,484 units, lifting the share of EVs and plug-in hybrids in its total sales mix above 50 percent.

Chery, which has built one of the country's strongest international businesses, sold 247,823 vehicles in May, up 20.5 percent from a year earlier. Overseas deliveries jumped 80.5 percent to 181,871 vehicles, accounting for more than 70 percent of its total sales.

Geely Automobile reported May sales of 237,637 vehicles, up 1 percent year-on-year. The company sold 133,355 new energy vehicles, with electrified models making up 56 percent of total deliveries for the month.

Premium EV brand Zeekr delivered a record 34,377 vehicles, up 82 percent from a year earlier, while Geely's exports nearly tripled to 85,144 units.

Changan Automobile reported May deliveries of 209,100 vehicles, down 6.78 percent year-on-year, although its new energy vehicle sales rose 5.8 percent to 92,400 units. Overseas sales increased 38 percent to 70,700 vehicles.

Great Wall Motor sold 100,399 vehicles in May, down 1.79 percent from a year earlier. The company exported 50,688 vehicles during the month, up 46.75 percent, meaning overseas markets accounted for about half of its total sales.

While established automakers increasingly leaned on exports, China's new generation of EV makers continued to face a tougher domestic environment.

Leapmotor remained the standout among the country's EV startups, delivering 81,569 vehicles in May, up 80 percent from a year earlier. The figure was more than double the monthly volume reported by most of its peers and extended the company's lead within the sector.

However, the broader startup market showed signs of slowing momentum despite a wave of new model launches earlier this year.

Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance, the Huawei-backed vehicle ecosystem, returned to second place among startup groups with deliveries exceeding 40,000 units in May, supported by growth across multiple partner brands.

Nio ranked third after benefiting from stronger demand for its higher-end models. The company has increasingly emphasized its premium positioning, with its average transaction price reaching about 390,000 yuan ($54,000).

Li Auto delivered 33,350 units, an 18.37 percent slump from the same month of 2025 and a 2.16 percent dip from April. It was the only startup to post declines in both year-on-year and month-on-month sales in May. The company has been accelerating its transition from extended-range vehicles toward battery-electric models.

XPeng, meanwhile, sold 32,158 units, which stabilized on a monthly basis of around 30,000 units, but continued to post a slight decline of 4.1 percent after demand for its MONA series cooled.

lifusheng@chinadaily.com.cn