BYD Leads China's October New Energy Vehicle Sales

BYD sold 490,168 new energy vehicles (NEVs) worldwide in October 2026, its highest monthly total this year and more than SAIC and Geely, the next two groups, sold combined. The figure is up 10.97% from October last year and 5.74% from September. NEVs in China include battery electric, plug-in hybrid, and range-extender vehicles.

Of BYD's total, 483,125 were passenger vehicles. Battery electric passenger sales rose 37.38% year on year to 305,743, a new record, while plug-in hybrid passenger sales fell 17.23% to 177,382. Battery electric models now make up about 63% of BYD's passenger sales.

Exports drove the growth. BYD shipped 170,194 NEVs overseas in October, roughly double the number a year earlier, while its sales inside China fell 10.57% to 319,974.

SAIC Motor came second with 258,610 NEVs, up 25.12% year on year, although its total sales across all fuel types fell 5.28% to 430,018. That NEV total includes 99,958 from its joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling.

Geely Auto sold 310,183 vehicles in October, and 214,996 of them were NEVs. It is the first time Geely's monthly NEV sales have passed 200,000. Across all fuel types, Geely exported 107,153 vehicles, while its sales in China fell 23.55% from a year earlier.

Chery Group sold 295,934 vehicles, including a record 140,893 NEVs, and exported 200,618 vehicles, about two thirds of its monthly total. Its Hong Kong-listed unit, Chery Auto, reported 132,023 NEVs.

Among the newer brands, Leapmotor delivered a record 106,127 vehicles, up 50.99% year on year and its fourth straight month above 100,000. XPeng crossed 50,000 monthly deliveries for the first time with 50,237, helped by a record 13,326 overseas deliveries. Xiaomi said it delivered more than 50,000 cars but did not give an exact number.

Not every brand grew. Nio delivered 34,246 vehicles, down 15.23% year on year, and Li Auto delivered 29,025, down 8.63%. Huawei's HIMA alliance, which sells the Aito, Luxeed, Stelato, Maextro, and Shangjie brands, delivered 33,537 vehicles, about half of what it managed a year earlier.

For several of the largest groups, October followed the same pattern: sales inside China fell while exports grew quickly. That leaves Chinese carmakers relying more on markets abroad, including countries such as Nepal, where BYD and Geely already sell cars.