China's July NEV Exports: BYD Leads as Tesla Rises to Third

China’s July Passenger NEV Export Ranking

China's July NEV exports reached another strong monthly level, with BYD remaining the largest exporter of passenger new energy vehicles. BYD shipped 173,721 passenger NEVs in July, an increase of 121.7% from the same month a year earlier and 1.7% from June. Its 32.2% share kept it firmly in first place, although the share eased from 34.2% in June. The figures, published by the China Passenger Car Association in its monthly sales ranking report, also highlighted a sharp improvement from Tesla China, whose export volume rose strongly enough to move into third place.

Chery and Tesla Strengthen Export Positions

Chery ranked second in China’s July passenger NEV export ranking with 82,768 units, representing a 15.3% share of exports. Its volume increased 195.4% year-on-year and 12.1% from June, showing particularly strong export momentum. Tesla China followed in third place with 66,330 vehicles, up 143.2% year-on-year and 83.4% from June. The result moved the US electric vehicle maker ahead of Geely in the monthly ranking and lifted its share to 12.3%, underlining the scale of the month-on-month recovery in its China export activity.

Other Major NEV Exporters in July

Geely ranked fourth with 60,584 exported NEVs and an 11.2% share. Its volume was 591.8% higher year-on-year but 1.6% lower than June. Changan Automobile followed in fifth place with 26,200 units, up 74.0% from June, while SAIC Passenger Vehicle ranked sixth with 24,778 units, down 19.0% from the previous month. Leapmotor exported 17,569 vehicles for a 3.3% share, ranking seventh after a 281.5% year-on-year increase despite a 16.3% monthly decline. GWM and Xpeng completed the reported top ten with 10,162 and 9,700 units respectively.

January-July NEV Export Performance

In the January-July period, BYD retained the leading position in passenger NEV exports with 943,051 units, an 80.8% year-on-year increase and a 34.0% share. Chery ranked second with 373,069 units, up 170.7%, while Geely placed third with 336,001 units after a 599.7% year-on-year increase. Tesla China ranked fourth with 295,324 vehicles, up 130.1%, accounting for 10.7% of the market. SAIC Passenger Vehicle ranked fifth with 149,554 units, while Leapmotor reached sixth with 113,863 units, an increase of 355.8% year-on-year.

China’s Overall Passenger Vehicle Export Market

The broader passenger vehicle export market, which includes conventional internal combustion engine vehicles as well as NEVs, produced a different July order. Chery ranked first with 199,092 units, up 68.8% year-on-year and 6.0% from June, giving it a 21.7% share. BYD was second with 173,721 units and an 18.9% share, followed by Geely with 106,220 units and an 11.6% share. SAIC Passenger Vehicle ranked fourth with 73,563 units, while Tesla China placed fifth with 66,330 vehicles and a 7.2% share.

How the Broader Ranking Differs

The July results also show how the export rankings change when the product scope is widened beyond new energy vehicles. Chery’s first-place position in the overall passenger vehicle market reflects its broader export volume across conventional and electrified models, while BYD’s second position is supported by its much larger NEV contribution. Geely ranked third overall with 106,220 units, followed by SAIC Passenger Vehicle, Tesla China, Changan and GWM. SAIC-GM-Wuling, Yueda Kia and Leapmotor completed the reported top ten, with Leapmotor holding a 1.9% share.

January-July Overall Passenger Vehicle Exports

For the first seven months of the year, Chery led China’s overall passenger vehicle exports with 1,130,649 units, up 70.6% year-on-year and representing a 21.9% share. BYD ranked second with 943,051 units and an 18.2% share, while Geely was third with 578,676 units and an 11.2% share. SAIC Passenger Vehicle and GWM followed in fourth and fifth positions with shares of 9.2% and 6.0%. Tesla China ranked sixth with a 5.7% share, while Changan, SAIC-GM-Wuling, Dongfeng and Leapmotor occupied the remaining positions in the reported top ten.

Export Competition Highlights Strong Electrification Momentum

Taken together, the rankings point to a rapidly expanding export role for Chinese electrified vehicles and a highly competitive field among leading automakers. BYD maintained clear leadership in passenger NEVs, while Chery combined strong NEV growth with the largest overall passenger vehicle export volume. Geely recorded one of the strongest year-on-year NEV increases among the leading exporters, and Tesla China’s July surge materially improved its monthly position. The distinction between NEV-only and total passenger vehicle rankings remains important because it shows how electrification is reshaping China’s export mix without eliminating the importance of conventional vehicle shipments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which automaker led China’s passenger NEV exports in July?
China’s passenger NEV exports remained highly concentrated among a few major automakers, with BYD holding the largest share in July and Tesla China moving into third place. The July ranking shows BYD at 173,721 units, followed by Chery at 82,768 and Tesla China at 66,330. Over January-July, BYD remained first with 943,051 units, while Chery and Geely ranked second and third. The figures demonstrate both the scale of leading exporters and the rapid year-on-year growth recorded by several Chinese manufacturers.

How did Tesla China perform in the July ranking?
Tesla China moved from fourth to third in July after exports reached 66,330 vehicles, an increase of 83.4% from June and 143.2% from a year earlier. This performance lifted its monthly share to 12.3% of China’s passenger NEV exports. The company remained fourth on the January-July NEV ranking with 295,324 exported vehicles and a 10.7% share. Its July increase therefore improved its monthly competitive position without changing the year-to-date ranking, where BYD, Chery and Geely continued to lead.