China EV global sales in April 2026: Leapmotor and Zeekr new height, Chery 100k+, BYD down
Sales and delivery figures for major car manufacturers in April 2026 have been released. In terms of New Energy Vehicle (NEV) sales, BYD topped the list with 314,100 units sold, followed closely by SAIC and Geely. Chery’s NEV sales surpassed 100,000 units for the first time.
Leapmotor and Zeekr were among the standout performers, hitting all-time highs in monthly deliveries. Leapmotor delivered 71,387 units in April, a 73.9% year-on-year increase, marking its third consecutive month leading the new force rankings. The company noted that its A10 factory production capacity has now exceeded 1,000 units per day.
BYD maintained its market leadership with total sales of 321,100 units in April. However, this marks its eighth consecutive month of year-on-year sales decline. Notably, its overseas sales of passenger cars and pickups reached a record 134,500 units, a 70.9% year-on-year surge, accounting for over 40% of its total monthly volume. The group’s battery installations for NEVs and energy storage also reached 20.977 GWh for the month.
Geely‘s NEV sales reached 135,591 units, with a penetration rate of 58%. Its premium electric brand, Zeekr, delivered 31,787 units (+132% YoY), with an average vehicle price of nearly 350,000 yuan (50,700 USD).
Chery‘s NEV sales also crossed the 100,000-unit threshold for the first time, reaching 100,276 units.
Li Auto delivered 34,085 units, a slight 0.4% year-on-year increase, as it prepares for the launch of the L9 Livis on May 15, with a pre-sale price of 559,800 yuan (81,100 USD).
Xpeng saw a recovery, delivering 31,011 units, while Nio delivered 29,356 units (+22.8% YoY). Within Nio’s multi-brand strategy, the main Nio brand accounted for 19,024 units, Onvo contributed 5,352 units, and the Firefly brand added 4,980 units.
Xiaomi delivered over 30,000 units in April. Its service network has expanded to 495 stores across 143 cities. Meanwhile, Huawei’s HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance) delivered 32,759 units.
Editor’s comment
According to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), while NEV performance remains stronger than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, the overall market faced some pressure in early April due to holiday factors and rising fuel costs affecting consumer pressure. However, the rapid growth in exports and the “tech parity” offered by brands like Leapmotor – which recently brought high-end intelligent driving to the 100,000 yuan (14,500 USD) segment – continue to drive the industry’s evolution.
