BYD’s passenger EV sales drop for an eighth month as competition heats up
NANJING, CHINA – APRIL 30, 2026 – Tourists visit the BYD exhibition area at the Auto Expo in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China, on April 30, 2026. (Photo credit should read CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Cphoto | Future Publishing | Getty Images
BYDWhile ‘s passenger vehicle sales fell for the eighth consecutive month in April, local rivals Leapmotor and Zeekr achieved record monthly deliveries as the market became more competitive.
BYD reported it was delivered on Sunday 314,100 CNBC’s records show a 15.7% year-over-year decline in the number of new energy passenger vehicles last month, consisting of battery electric and rechargeable hybrid models, but a 6.2% increase from March.
BYD’s export figures reached an all-time high 135,098That’s a record figure, according to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and is up more than 70% compared to the same period in 2025, according to CNBC’s calculations. The split in the domestic and international fortunes of the Shenzhen-based automaker shows that its dependence on foreign markets is increasing in an environment of intensifying competition at home.
In April, the market-leading EV giant almost 55.4% decrease in profit On an annual basis in the first quarter, operating income fell 11.8% to 150 billion yuan ($22 billion) due to the strong performance of domestic competitors in the same quarter.
Second ranked Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer bounce engine It announced its highest monthly delivery count ever in April. 71,387 unitsIt increased by 73.9% compared to the same period in 2025. Stellantisbacked company reached the previous month’s high in November 2025 and first annual profit last year.
Geely‘s premium EV brand Zeekr also broke a new record in monthly sales 31,787 unitsThis represents an annual increase of 131.6%.
Chinese tech giant Xiaomi published more than once 30,000 EV deliveries There was an increase of more than 7.1% in April compared to the same period of the previous year. The company also reportedly received 70,000 pre-orders of the upgraded SU7 sedan.
Nio delivered 29,356 EVs in Aprilincreased by 22.8% compared to the same period of the previous year. This figure also includes sales of lower-priced Onvo and Firefly brands.
April deliveries from the beginning Li Auto kept constant 34,085 unitsIt increased by 0.4% compared to the same period of the previous year.
Following the launch of the new GX SUV in mid-month, xpeng Except for BYD, which was the only automaker to report a decline in annual sales. 31,011 deliveriesIt decreased by 11.5% compared to the previous year.
Foreign trips
having plans BYD, which exported more than one million units in 2026, started to have an increasing say abroad.
The company accounted for at least 70% of EV sales in Mexico and 75% of EV sales in Argentina in 2025. predictions consultancy from Latam Mobility.
New registrations of BYD’s passenger EVs in the European Union, European Free Trade Association and the United Kingdom increased by more than 155 percent On an annual basis in the first quarter of 2026, according to figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).
In a bid to gain influence in Europe, BYD reportedly also announced in April Be accepted into ACEA — Europe’s automotive lobby — according to a Bloomberg report quoting an ACEA spokesperson. CNBC has reached out to ACEA for comment.
While BYD has established itself through extensive in-house production, it has established production facilities in Brazil and Hungary. However, the automaker’s facilities abroad have been marred by labor abuse controversies.
Other Chinese EV companies are also looking for ways to make profits in the overseas market. Leapmotor plans to expand abroad through its joint venture with automotive conglomerate Stellantis, with more than 800 sales and service points across Europe and at least 30 in Latin America by the end of 2025.
Although Leapmotor does not publish monthly export figures, the company announced that it aims to export between 100,000 and 150,000 units in February.
Beijing-based Li Auto in April announced his entry It has also announced plans to expand into Cambodia, Laos, Macau and Myanmar, signing a memorandum of understanding with local distributors to bring its cars for the Middle East to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
