Chinese Auto Sales Rise in July as Monthly Exports Top 1 Million for First Time

Several listed automakers reported year-on-year sales growth in July, with exports serving as the core growth engine. BYD sold 419,200 vehicles in the month, up 21.75% year on year, including 411,100 passenger vehicles, 233,100 pure electric models, and 178,000 plug-in hybrids. The company exported 180,500 new-energy vehicles in July, up 123.6% year on year, with exports accounting for 43.1% of total sales, setting a new monthly record. In the first half of 2026, BYD's cumulative overseas sales of passenger vehicles and pickups reached 789,400 units, with June overseas sales exceeding 170,000 units, a monthly record.

Geely Auto exported 106,700 vehicles in July, up 202.4% year on year and 4% month on month, with exports accounting for 42.6% of total sales. Chery Auto sold 261,900 vehicles in July, of which 196,300 were exports, representing 75% of total sales. Great Wall Motor sold 108,100 vehicles in July, up 3.5% year on year, including 62,000 exports, up 50.9%, with exports accounting for 57.4% of total sales; new-energy vehicle sales reached 34,700, about 32% of the month's total. By brand, the Ora brand saw a 151.63% year-on-year sales increase in July, while the Tank brand declined 13.95%.

SAIC Motor sold 338,600 vehicles in July, with cumulative sales of 2.384 million units from January to July. New-energy vehicle sales in July reached 176,700, up 50.67% year on year; exports and overseas base sales totaled 141,700, up 72.56%. From January to July 2026, SAIC's cumulative new-energy vehicle sales reached 972,500 units, and exports and overseas base sales totaled 876,300 units, up 27.37% and 52.11% year on year, respectively.

BAIC BluePark sold 22,800 units in July, up 122.06% from 10,300 units in the same period of 2025; cumulative deliveries from January to July reached 121,700 units, up 57.2% year on year. The company's overseas business entered a phase of scale expansion in 2026, currently based on complete vehicle exports while advancing KD localized production in line with regional regulations and industrial policies. In the second half of the year, the company plans to start KD production and contract manufacturing in some Southeast Asian countries, and will also proceed with its own plant in Europe at an appropriate time.

Industry-wide export data show that China's automobile exports in June reached 1.037 million units, up 11.6% month on month and 75.1% year on year, marking the first time monthly exports exceeded one million units. Cumulative exports from January to June totaled 5.096 million units, up 65.3% year on year. In the first half of the year, domestic passenger vehicle exports stood at 4.4324 million units, up 72% year on year.

In terms of industrial layout, Geely Auto announced on July 23 that its wholly owned subsidiary GeelySPV reached an agreement with FordNL to acquire a 34% stake in a Spanish target company for 221 million euros. The joint venture is expected to begin operations in the first half of 2027, with Geely Auto producing two new-energy models at the Valencia plant, and the first vehicle scheduled to roll off the line in 2028. BYD plans to build 3,000 flash charging stations in Europe within the next 12 months, with at least 300 in the United Kingdom.