July 2025 Auto Sales Rundown: EVs Drive Market Momentum

July 2025 delivered a fascinating snapshot of the dynamic Chinese automobile market. While the overall picture showed varied growth, electric vehicle (EV) segments continued to be a powerful engine for many manufacturers, highlighting the accelerating shift towards new energy cars.

Key Players: Domestic Giants Charge Ahead

• BYD Maintains Dominance: The undisputed leader, BYD, reported impressive sales of 344,296 vehicles for July. Within this, passenger car sales reached 341,030 units, cementing their position at the forefront of the new energy car revolution.

• SAIC-GM-Wuling's Global Reach: SAIC-GM-Wuling achieved a global automobile sales figure of 123,341 units in July, a solid 13.7% year-on-year increase. Crucially, their new energy car sales surged by 50.9%, reaching 73,901 units, proving the strong demand for affordable electric vehicle options.

• Chery Group's Steady Growth: Chery Group saw total sales hit 224,439 vehicles, up 14.7% year-on-year. The core Chery brand contributed 210,066 units to this total.

• Changan's EV Focus Pays Off: Changan Automobile posted remarkable growth in the electric vehicle space, with July new energy car sales exceeding 79,000 units, a massive 73% increase compared to last year.

• Geely's Stunning Performance: Geely Automobile reported a total sales volume of 237,700 vehicles in July, representing a remarkable 58% surge. Their pure battery car sales skyrocketed by 192% to 90,000 units, while plug-in hybrids grew by 42% to 40,100 units. The Galaxy brand was a standout performer.

New Energy Standouts and Challengers

• Leapmotor Hits Milestone: Leapmotor achieved a significant benchmark, delivering 50,129 vehicles in July – a massive 126% year-on-year increase. This marked their first time exceeding 50,000 monthly electric vehicle deliveries.

• Xpeng's Smart EV Surge: Xpeng Motors experienced explosive growth, delivering 36,717 intelligent electric vehicle units in July, a staggering 229% increase year-on-year. Demand for their tech-focused battery car models remains incredibly strong.

• NIO's Portfolio Expansion: NIO delivered 21,017 vehicles in July. While this represented a sequential dip, it showcased their expanding portfolio now including the mainstream Ledo brand and the upcoming Firefly brand. Their core electric vehicle technology continues to attract buyers.

• Li Auto Faces Headwinds: Li Auto encountered challenges, delivering 30,731 vehicles in July, a significant 39.74% decrease compared to the same period last year. Market competition in the extended-range electric vehicle segment is clearly intensifying.

• Zeekr's Strong Delivery: Zeekr, Geely's premium EV arm, delivered 44,193 vehicles in July, a healthy 19.7% year-on-year increase, demonstrating sustained demand for their specific battery car offerings.

• AITO (HarmonyOS-powered) Holds Steady: AITO, under the HarmonyOS-powered ecosystem, delivered 47,752 new vehicles in July. The core AITO M series models contributed 40,753 units.

Joint Ventures & Other Notable Performers

• FAW Group's Mixed Results: FAW Group sold over 252,400 vehicles in July (+6.5%). Their domestic brands shone, especially in the new energy car sector, which soared 129% to 28,500 units. Hongqi sales grew 21.1% to 37,324 units (EVs up 66.1%). FAW-Toyota sold 68,034 units (+3%), while FAW-Volkswagen sold 113,026 units, maintaining strong fuel car market share. FAW Besturn saw explosive growth of 79.3% (14,920 units), with electric vehicle sales jumping 188% to 13,909 units.

• GAC Aion's Adjustment: GAC Aion reported terminal sales of 26,557 battery car units in July, a 24.64% decrease year-on-year, reflecting potential model cycle transitions or intense competition.

• Hyundai & Kia Maintain Stability: Hyundai Motor sold 334,794 vehicles globally (+0.5%), while Kia Corporation sold 262,705 units (+0.3%), showing resilience in a competitive global automobile market.

• VOYAH & Deepal Shine: VOYAH delivered 12,135 vehicles in July, doubling its sales year-on-year (+102%). Deepal (Changan) achieved global deliveries of 27,169 units, a robust 62% increase.

• eπ Technology & Avatr Impress: Dongfeng's eπ Technology sold 27,923 units in July (+70.9%). Avatr continued its strong run, selling 10,062 units (+178%), marking its fifth consecutive month exceeding 10,000 electric vehicle deliveries.

• Xiaomi's Rapid Ascent: Xiaomi's automobile venture made waves, delivering over 30,000 units in July, representing approximately 20% sequential growth – a very promising start.

• IM Motors & Jishi: IM Motors delivered 7,027 vehicles (+17%). Jishi delivered 1,316 units of its Jishi 01 model.