Leapmotor Charges Ahead as China's New Energy Car Market Shifts in June 2025

The June 2025 "report card" for China's electric vehicle startups is in, revealing significant market shifts. Leapmotor accelerated to the front, delivering 48,006 battery car units – its fourth consecutive month leading the pack. XPeng followed with explosive 224% YoY growth (34,611 units), while Li Auto struggled amidst a cooling premium automobile segment. This dynamic snapshot underscores fierce competition driven by tech, policy, and consumer demand.

Leapmotor isn't just leading; it's dominating. June deliveries surged 138% YoY, pushing H1 totals to 221,664 battery car units. Their winning formula? A potent mix of full-stack R&D ("all-domain in-house development") and sharp value. Their lineup strategically targets the mass market sweet spot – from the ~100,000 yuan B01 sedan to the ~200,000 yuan C-series SUVs. The newly launched 2026 C16 and upcoming B01 form a powerful duo. With the next-gen C11 arriving in July, executives confidently predict monthly deliveries could smash the 50,000-unit barrier soon. Interestingly, this confidence stems directly from their aggressive tech investments.

Crucially, Leapmotor's control over core tech like electric drives, battery car systems, and the Leapmotor OS 4.0 infotainment translates into real cost advantages, particularly under 150,000 yuan. This lets them undercut rivals by 15-20% while offering competitive features like L3-ready autonomy on the B01. Their reach is expanding too – over 800 stores nationwide by end-June, with more than 60% located in lower-tier cities, putting them head-to-head with giants like BYD and Wuling on their home turf. This ground-level presence is vital for capturing the booming new energy car demand beyond major metros.

XPeng's remarkable 224% June electric vehicle surge (34,611 units) and record Q2 deliveries (103,181 units) highlight two key drivers: hit models and ecosystem strength. The MONA M03 and P7+ weren't just successful; they were dominant, contributing over 60% of June volume. The MONA M03 has impressively surpassed 10,000 monthly sales for ten straight months! Tech played a huge role: XNGP driver-assist achieved over 85% user adoption with its broad coverage, while their 800V platform eased range anxiety industry-wide by enabling ultra-fast charging (think 200 km range in just 5 minutes). The newly launched G7 SUV, boasting L3-capable hardware, directly challenges the Tesla Model Y and Xiaomi's YU7. XPeng's extensive charging network (5,000+ stations across 320 cities) further cements its ecosystem advantage, making new energy car ownership genuinely practical.

Li Auto faced headwinds, with June automobile deliveries down 24% YoY. Their Q2 total (111,074 units) represented just 15.8% of their ambitious 700,000-unit annual target. The core issues? A delayed push into pure electric automobile segments and saturation in the premium market they once dominated. Their core L7/L8/L9 SUV lineup felt the squeeze from competitors like the AITO M7 and Nio ES6, resulting in an 11.2% MoM sales dip in June. Compounding this, subsidy reductions contributed to a 15% YoY decline in the broader premium electric vehicle segment (200,000 yuan+). Critical delays for their pure-electric i8 (now July) and i6 (September) models handed rivals like XPeng and Xiaomi valuable market lead time. In response, Li Auto merged its R&D and Supply Chain group into the Smart Electric Car Business Group under President Ma Donghui, aiming to streamline and accelerate their crucial electric transition. On the ground, dealers report the pressure is palpable.