China NEV Exports: BYD Leads as Chery Takes Second

BYD Leads China's September 2026 NEV Export Rankings as Chery Moves Second

China's NEV export market retained BYD as its leading passenger new energy vehicle exporter in September 2026, although the company's market share declined from August. Data released by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) showed that Chery overtook Geely Auto to secure second place. BYD exported 174,277 passenger NEVs during the month, an increase of 151.6% year over year but a decrease of 5.2% month over month. Its share reached 31.1%, compared with 35.4% in August. Chery exported 85,990 vehicles, while Geely ranked third with 72,893. The figures highlight continued competition among Chinese automakers in overseas new energy vehicle markets.

BYD Maintains Its Lead Despite a Monthly Share Decline

BYD remained the largest exporter in China's passenger NEV market in September, shipping 174,277 vehicles and retaining a substantial lead over its closest competitors. Although exports rose 151.6% year over year, they fell 5.2% compared with August, and the company's market share declined by 4.3 percentage points to 31.1%. The share movement indicates that competitors gained ground even as BYD maintained first place. From January through September 2026, BYD exported 1,301,074 NEVs, up 94.1% year over year, giving it a cumulative market share of 33.5%. Its nine-month total kept it comfortably ahead of other automakers in the reported ranking.

Chery Overtakes Geely as Export Volumes Increase

Chery secured second place in September's passenger NEV export ranking after shipping 85,990 vehicles, up 173.9% year over year and 25.7% month over month. Its market share increased to 15.3% from 13.2% in August. Geely Auto moved to third place, exporting 72,893 vehicles, an increase of 398.2% year over year and 4.3% month over month. Geely's share slipped to 13.0% from 13.5%. Over the first nine months of 2026, Chery exported 527,490 NEVs, up 176.9% year over year, while Geely exported 478,804, up 533.4%. Their cumulative shares stood at 13.6% and 12.3%, respectively.

Tesla China, SAIC, and Changan Compete for Mid-Ranking Positions

Tesla China exported 30,529 passenger NEVs in September, up 58.3% year over year but down 15.5% month over month, marking its second consecutive monthly decline. It ranked fourth with a 5.4% share, down from 7.0% in August. SAIC Passenger Vehicle followed closely with 29,552 units, up 18.3% month over month and representing a 5.3% share. Changan ranked sixth with 29,325 vehicles and a 5.2% share, after monthly growth of 3.5%. These closely grouped results show how relatively small changes in export volumes affected positions among automakers outside the top three during September.

Leapmotor Records Strong Monthly Growth as the Top Ten Shifts

Leapmotor retained seventh place in September's passenger NEV export ranking with 27,454 vehicles, up 298.6% year over year and 50.4% month over month. Its share rose to 4.9% from 3.5% in August. SAIC-GM-Wuling ranked eighth with 16,543 vehicles and a 3.0% share, although its monthly volume declined 4.8%. Dongfeng moved into ninth place with 10,282 vehicles, up 106.4% month over month and accounting for a 1.8% share. Xpeng ranked tenth with 10,055 vehicles, up 100.9% year over year and 23.8% month over month. Its share was also 1.8%. GAC Aion dropped out of the monthly top ten.

China's January–September NEV Export Rankings

The cumulative ranking for January through September 2026 confirms BYD's lead while showing substantial growth among several competitors. BYD exported 1,301,074 NEVs, up 94.1% year over year, and held a 33.5% share. Chery ranked second with 527,490 vehicles and a 13.6% share, followed by Geely with 478,804 vehicles and a 12.3% share. Tesla China exported 361,972 vehicles, up 108.4%, securing fourth place with a 9.3% share. SAIC Passenger Vehicle ranked fifth with 204,097 vehicles and a 5.2% share. Leapmotor placed sixth with 159,572 vehicles, up 322.5%, and a 4.1% share.

Remaining Automakers in the Nine-Month NEV Ranking

Changan, SAIC-GM-Wuling, Dongfeng, and GAC Aion completed the cumulative passenger NEV export top ten from January through September 2026. Their respective market shares were 3.5%, 2.8%, 2.4%, and 1.8%. The cumulative ranking differs from September's monthly list, where Xpeng entered tenth place and GAC Aion fell outside the top ten. These differences show why monthly and year-to-date rankings should be assessed separately: a single month's performance can change the order without necessarily altering the longer-period positions. The reported figures establish the relative standings but do not, by themselves, explain the reasons behind each automaker's export performance.

Chery Leads China's Overall Passenger Vehicle Export Market

When conventional internal combustion engine vehicles are included alongside NEVs, Chery ranked first in China's overall passenger vehicle export market in September 2026. It exported 203,765 vehicles, up 46.9% year over year and 5.5% month over month, giving it a 22.2% market share. BYD ranked second with 174,277 vehicles and a 19.0% share, widening the gap between the two companies to 3.2 percentage points from 1.1 points in August. Geely ranked third with 105,914 vehicles, up 160.5% year over year but down 3.2% month over month, and held an 11.5% share. These results reflect the broader export market rather than the NEV segment alone.

September's Remaining Overall Passenger Vehicle Export Leaders

SAIC Passenger Vehicle ranked fourth in September's overall passenger vehicle export market, with 73,199 vehicles and an 8.0% share. Great Wall Motor (GWM) followed in fifth place with 51,210 vehicles and a 5.6% share, while Changan ranked sixth with 50,734 vehicles and a 5.5% share. SAIC-GM-Wuling moved into seventh place with 36,433 vehicles and a 4.0% share. Tesla China ranked eighth with 30,529 vehicles and a 3.3% share, followed by Leapmotor at 3.0% and Yueda Kia at 1.7%. The list demonstrates that rankings in the broader passenger vehicle export market differ from those in the NEV-only category.

China's January–September Overall Passenger Vehicle Export Rankings

For January through September 2026, Chery maintained first place in China's overall passenger vehicle export market with 1,527,483 vehicles, up 64.5% year over year, and a 21.8% share. BYD ranked second with 1,301,074 vehicles and an 18.5% share, while Geely placed third with 793,965 vehicles and an 11.3% share. SAIC Passenger Vehicle ranked fourth with an 8.8% share, followed by GWM at 5.9%. Tesla China retained sixth place with a 5.2% share. Changan, SAIC-GM-Wuling, Leapmotor, and Dongfeng ranked seventh through tenth, with shares of 4.4%, 3.6%, 2.3%, and 1.9%, respectively.

Industry Impact & Outlook

The September rankings illustrate the scale of China's passenger NEV export competition and the different trajectories of its leading automakers. BYD's continued leadership contrasts with Chery's stronger monthly share and its first-place position in the broader passenger vehicle export market. Geely's strong year-over-year growth in cumulative NEV exports also highlights the rapid changes occurring beneath the headline rankings. For automakers and industry observers, the distinction between NEV-only and total passenger vehicle exports is essential when evaluating competitive positions. Future monthly releases will show whether September's share changes persist, but the supplied figures alone do not establish the causes of individual companies' performance or predict subsequent export trends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which company led China's passenger NEV exports in September 2026?
BYD led China's passenger new energy vehicle export market in September 2026, shipping 174,277 vehicles and securing a 31.1% market share. Its exports increased 151.6% year over year but declined 5.2% month over month. Although its share fell from 35.4% in August, BYD remained well ahead of the second-ranked exporter. From January through September, the company exported 1,301,074 NEVs, up 94.1% year over year, and held a cumulative share of 33.5%, according to the reported ranking.

Which automaker ranked second in China's September 2026 NEV export market?
Chery ranked second in China's passenger NEV export market in September 2026, overtaking Geely Auto. The company exported 85,990 vehicles, representing year-over-year growth of 173.9% and month-over-month growth of 25.7%. Its market share increased to 15.3% from 13.2% in August. Geely ranked third with 72,893 vehicles and a 13.0% share. Across the first nine months of 2026, Chery also remained ahead of Geely in cumulative NEV exports, with 527,490 vehicles compared with Geely's 478,804.

How many NEVs did BYD export from January through September 2026?
BYD exported 1,301,074 passenger new energy vehicles from January through September 2026, an increase of 94.1% compared with the same period a year earlier. The company ranked first in the cumulative NEV export standings with a 33.5% share. Its total was substantially higher than the reported volumes for Chery and Geely, which ranked second and third, respectively. BYD also led the monthly September ranking despite a decline in its share from August. These figures refer to the reported passenger NEV export category rather than the entire passenger vehicle market.

Which automaker recorded the strongest reported monthly growth among September's NEV export leaders?
Leapmotor recorded 50.4% month-over-month growth in September 2026, exporting 27,454 passenger NEVs and retaining seventh place in the monthly ranking. Its market share increased to 4.9% from 3.5% in August. Other automakers also reported substantial growth over different comparison periods, including BYD and Chery year over year. Leapmotor's monthly increase should therefore be distinguished from year-over-year growth figures when comparing performance. The supplied ranking reports export volumes and percentage changes but does not explain the specific factors responsible for individual companies' increases or declines.

How did Tesla China perform in September 2026?
Tesla China exported 30,529 passenger NEVs in September 2026, up 58.3% year over year but down 15.5% from August. The company ranked fourth in the monthly passenger NEV export standings with a 5.4% share, compared with 7.0% in the previous month. The decline marked its second consecutive monthly reduction in exports. Over January through September, Tesla China exported 361,972 vehicles, an increase of 108.4% year over year, and retained fourth place in the cumulative NEV export ranking with a 9.3% share.

How do China's NEV export rankings differ from its overall passenger vehicle rankings?
China's NEV export rankings cover passenger new energy vehicles, while the overall passenger vehicle rankings also include conventional internal combustion engine vehicles. In September 2026, BYD led the NEV category with a 31.1% share, whereas Chery led the broader passenger vehicle market with a 22.2% share. BYD ranked second in the overall category at 19.0%, while Geely placed third at 11.5%. These differences demonstrate that rankings depend on the vehicle category being measured. Comparing both datasets provides a broader view of automakers' positions across China's passenger vehicle exports.

Which companies completed the top ten in China's cumulative passenger NEV export ranking?
From January through September 2026, BYD, Chery, Geely, and Tesla China occupied the first four positions in China's passenger NEV export ranking. SAIC Passenger Vehicle ranked fifth, followed by Leapmotor in sixth place. Changan, SAIC-GM-Wuling, Dongfeng, and GAC Aion completed the top ten. Their reported market shares were 3.5%, 2.8%, 2.4%, and 1.8%, respectively. This cumulative list differs from September's monthly ranking, where Xpeng entered tenth place and GAC Aion dropped out of the top ten.