China Automaker Deliveries: BYD Leads October 2026

Deliveries among China's major automakers and electric vehicle startups showed increasingly divergent performance in October 2026. BYD led the reported figures with 490,168 new energy vehicle (NEV) sales, followed by SAIC with 430,018 vehicles and Geely Auto with 310,183. Chery Group reported 295,934 vehicles, while Great Wall Motor (GWM) sold 120,374. Among emerging manufacturers, Leapmotor delivered a record 106,127 vehicles, while Xpeng exceeded 50,000 monthly deliveries for the first time. Xiaomi Auto also crossed the 50,000 threshold, recording its highest monthly total of the year.

Performance was less consistent across other major manufacturers. Nio delivered 34,246 vehicles, marking its first year-on-year monthly decline since February 2024 and its lowest monthly total since April. Li Auto recorded 29,025 deliveries, its lowest since February. Huawei's Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) reported 33,537 vehicles, down more than 50% year-on-year. Meanwhile, several other manufacturers and brands, including Nevo, GAC Toyota, Deepal, Zeekr, Seres Group, Dongfeng Honda, Voyah and Volkswagen Anhui, also reported October delivery figures.

Figures released by the companies on November 1 showed that overseas markets, NEV sales and individual brand performance played different roles in shaping monthly results. While several manufacturers achieved records or maintained strong cumulative growth, others experienced consecutive monthly declines. The following breakdown examines the October delivery performance and year-to-date developments reported by the major manufacturers.

BYD records highest monthly NEV sales of 2026

BYD sold 490,168 NEVs in October, increasing 10.97% year-on-year and 5.74% compared with September. The result represented the company's highest monthly total of the year, extending its year-on-year growth streak to six consecutive months and its month-on-month increase streak to eight months. Battery electric passenger vehicle sales reached 305,743 units, rising 37.38% year-on-year and exceeding 300,000 for the first time. The figure also established a new record for the third consecutive month.

Plug-in hybrid electric passenger vehicle sales moved in the opposite direction, totaling 177,382 units, down 17.23% year-on-year for a second consecutive monthly decline. BYD exported 170,194 NEVs during October, representing a 102.84% increase from the previous year, although exports declined 5.81% from September. Domestic sales reached 319,974 units, falling 10.57% year-on-year but increasing 13.12% month-on-month.

For the first 10 months of 2026, BYD sold 3,621,744 NEVs, down 2.16% year-on-year. This narrowed the cumulative decline from 3.94% recorded during the first nine months. Export volumes increased 93.75% to 1,513,154 units, while domestic sales declined 27.81% to 2,108,590 units. The October figures therefore reflected continued growth in battery-electric passenger vehicles and overseas shipments, alongside weaker plug-in hybrid and cumulative domestic sales.

Geely Auto approaches monthly sales record as NEV volumes increase

Geely Auto sold 310,183 vehicles in October, up 0.99% year-on-year and 6.17% month-on-month. This marked its third consecutive monthly high for 2026 and its second-highest monthly sales result overall, falling just 245 vehicles short of the record established in November last year. NEV sales increased 20.86% year-on-year to 214,996 vehicles, exceeding 200,000 for the first time and accounting for a record 69% of total monthly sales.

Battery electric vehicle sales rose 43% year-on-year to 140,758 units, while plug-in hybrid sales declined 6.66% to 74,238 units. Exports remained a significant contributor, reaching 107,153 vehicles, up 157.78% year-on-year and 0.44% month-on-month. Domestic sales totaled 203,030 vehicles, declining 23.55% year-on-year, a steeper contraction than in September, although the figure increased 9.46% compared with the previous month.

Geely's brand-level performance varied considerably. Galaxy achieved a record 153,385 deliveries, exceeding 150,000 for the first time. Zeekr delivered 32,483 vehicles, up 51.63% year-on-year but down 12.72% month-on-month. Lynk & Co recorded 21,958 deliveries, falling 45.40% year-on-year and extending its decline to seven consecutive months. The figures demonstrate that Geely's overall sales growth was accompanied by strong NEV and export performance, despite weaker domestic comparisons and differences across its individual brands.

Chery Group increases NEV sales and exports

Chery Group sold 295,934 vehicles in October, representing a 5.25% year-on-year increase. Its cumulative sales for the first 10 months reached 2,502,723 vehicles, up 9.34% compared with the corresponding period last year. NEV sales reached a monthly record of 140,893 units, increasing 27.7% year-on-year and exceeding 100,000 for the seventh consecutive month. These figures highlighted the growing contribution of electrified vehicles to the group's reported sales performance.

Exports were another important component of Chery's October results. The group exported 200,618 vehicles, up 58.67% year-on-year. This was the third time in 2026 that monthly exports exceeded 200,000 vehicles, accounting for approximately 68% of total October sales. Cumulative exports reached 1,751,766 vehicles during the first 10 months, representing a 64.8% year-on-year increase.

Separately, Hong Kong-listed Chery reported sales of 282,458 vehicles across its five brands in October, up 7.21% year-on-year and 1.99% month-on-month. This represented its highest monthly total of 2026 under that reporting basis. NEV sales accounted for 132,023 vehicles, increasing 28.17% year-on-year and representing 46.74% of the reported total. The group's and listed company's figures are based on separate reporting arrangements and should not be treated as interchangeable.

GWM faces domestic sales pressure despite record overseas deliveries

GWM sold 120,374 vehicles in October, down 15.87% year-on-year, marking its third consecutive monthly decline and the steepest reduction recorded this year. Sales nevertheless increased 4.72% compared with September. Domestic sales in China fell 33.06% year-on-year to 57,512 vehicles, extending the decline to 12 consecutive months. In contrast, overseas sales reached a record 62,862 vehicles, although their year-on-year growth rate slowed to 9.98%.

GWM's NEV sales provided a more positive development, increasing 7.25% year-on-year to a record 49,499 vehicles. NEVs accounted for 41.12% of the company's total October sales, exceeding the 40% threshold for the first time. Brand-level performance remained mixed. Haval sales declined 19.50% year-on-year, while Tank and Wey each recorded decreases exceeding 30%. Ora sales increased 115.78% to 12,187 vehicles, its highest monthly result since March 2022.

During the first 10 months of 2026, GWM sold 1,040,676 vehicles, down 2.42% year-on-year. Overseas sales increased 37.69% to 538,839 vehicles, already surpassing the company's total overseas sales for the whole of 2025. The contrast between declining domestic volumes and record overseas deliveries illustrates the differing performance of GWM's two major sales channels.

Nio records first year-on-year delivery decline in 31 months

Nio Inc delivered 34,246 vehicles in October, down 15.23% year-on-year and 8.45% month-on-month. The decline ended a streak of 31 consecutive months of year-on-year delivery growth and represented the company's first annual decline in monthly deliveries since February 2024. October also marked its lowest monthly delivery total since April 2026. The overall result reflected differing performances across its three brands, with the Onvo decline offsetting growth at the main Nio brand and Firefly.

The main Nio brand delivered 18,125 vehicles, increasing 5.73% year-on-year but declining 14.98% from September. Onvo delivered 8,383 vehicles, down 51.66% year-on-year and 4.34% month-on-month. Firefly delivered 7,738 vehicles, increasing 30.89% year-on-year and 5.61% month-on-month. Firefly achieved its second consecutive monthly delivery record and was the only Nio Inc brand to report month-on-month growth in October.

Nio Inc delivered 334,547 vehicles during the first 10 months of 2026, up 38.46% year-on-year and already exceeding its full-year 2025 total. However, cumulative growth slowed from 49.24% during the first nine months. The main Nio brand accounted for 200,113 deliveries, followed by Onvo with 78,574 and Firefly with 55,860. Onvo's cumulative deliveries declined 9.54% year-on-year, reversing the growth recorded during the first nine months.

Xpeng achieves first monthly delivery milestone above 50,000

Xpeng delivered 50,237 vehicles in October, increasing 19.57% year-on-year and 21.77% month-on-month. This was its highest monthly total since the company began reporting deliveries and surpassed the previous record of 42,013 vehicles established in October 2025. Overseas operations provided substantial support, with international deliveries reaching a record 13,326 vehicles, up 166% year-on-year and representing 26.53% of the company's total monthly deliveries.

Domestic deliveries reached 36,911 vehicles in October, the company's highest monthly total in China in a year. Despite the strong monthly performance, Xpeng's cumulative deliveries for the first 10 months totaled 334,604 vehicles, down 5.80% year-on-year. This represented an improvement from the 9.20% decline recorded during the first nine months. Overseas deliveries during the same period reached 72,805 vehicles.

Chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng had previously stated that the company would aim to exceed 60,000 monthly sales in the fourth quarter. October's record therefore provided a higher starting point for evaluating that target. The combination of record overseas deliveries and improved domestic volumes contributed to the monthly milestone, although the cumulative delivery figure remained below the corresponding period in 2025.

Li Auto reports second consecutive annual delivery decline

Li Auto delivered 29,025 vehicles in October, down 8.63% year-on-year and 8.78% month-on-month. The company recorded its second consecutive year-on-year monthly decline, with October deliveries falling to their lowest level since February 2026. Cumulative deliveries during the first 10 months reached 322,461 vehicles, representing a 1.96% year-on-year decrease. This widened the decline from 1.25% recorded during the first nine months.

New model deliveries provided an important development during the month. Li Auto said deliveries of the new Li Mega exceeded 3,000 vehicles in October. A new generation of the company's flagship battery-electric multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) had been launched in September. The company also launched the 2026 Li i6 on October 28, with deliveries beginning the following day. The updated vehicle incorporates upgrades to its in-house-developed driver-assistance chip, battery and cabin features.

Li Auto plans to increase the Li i6's monthly production capacity to 20,000 vehicles in November, followed by a further increase in December. The planned capacity expansion and delivery ramp-up of the updated model will be important factors in assessing the company's upcoming sales performance. However, the production target represents a company plan rather than a confirmed delivery outcome.

Leapmotor maintains four consecutive months above 100,000 deliveries

Leapmotor delivered a record 106,127 vehicles globally in October, increasing 50.99% year-on-year and 0.45% month-on-month. This marked the fourth consecutive month in which the company exceeded 100,000 deliveries. Despite the new monthly record, both growth rates slowed compared with September, when deliveries increased 58.51% year-on-year and 2.45% month-on-month. The result therefore combined sustained high delivery volumes with a moderation in the pace of monthly and annual growth.

During the first 10 months of 2026, Leapmotor delivered 772,666 vehicles, representing a 65.88% year-on-year increase. This brought the company to 77.27% of its annual delivery target of 1,000,000 vehicles. To achieve that target, Leapmotor needs to deliver another 227,334 vehicles during November and December, equivalent to an average of 113,667 vehicles per month. That required monthly average is higher than its October result of 106,127 vehicles.

Xiaomi Auto exceeds 50,000 monthly deliveries

Xiaomi Auto delivered more than 50,000 vehicles in October, marking its highest monthly total of 2026 and ending two consecutive months of year-on-year delivery declines. The company did not disclose an exact October figure or provide a breakdown by model. This was the second time its monthly deliveries exceeded 50,000 vehicles. The previous occasion was December 2025, when Xiaomi Auto delivered 50,212 vehicles. Whether October established a new all-time monthly record cannot be confirmed without the exact delivery figure.

Using 50,000 vehicles as the disclosed lower bound, October deliveries increased by at least 2.77% year-on-year and 24.95% month-on-month. During the first 10 months of 2026, Xiaomi Auto delivered at least 336,490 vehicles, equivalent to approximately 61.2% of its annual target of 550,000 vehicles. These figures represent minimum delivery totals because the company disclosed only that its October result exceeded 50,000 units.

The Sky Nomad series, launched in September, marked Xiaomi's entry into the extended-range electric vehicle market. Its delivery ramp-up is becoming another source of sales growth for the company. However, the absence of an exact October figure and model-level breakdown limits a more detailed assessment of the contribution from individual vehicles.

Zeekr delivery growth continues despite monthly decline

Zeekr, a brand under Geely Auto, delivered 32,483 vehicles in October, increasing 51.63% year-on-year but declining 12.72% month-on-month. The result ended a streak of six consecutive monthly delivery records and represented the brand's first month-on-month decline since January 2026. Between February and September, Zeekr had recorded both year-on-year and month-on-month delivery growth for eight consecutive months.

Despite the monthly reduction, cumulative deliveries remained strong. Zeekr delivered 320,887 vehicles during the first 10 months of 2026, up 94.45% year-on-year. Since beginning deliveries in 2021, the brand has delivered 963,776 vehicles. This left it 36,224 vehicles short of reaching the cumulative one-million-delivery milestone. The October performance therefore reflected a temporary interruption in its monthly growth streak alongside substantial annual and cumulative expansion.

Huawei HIMA deliveries fall by more than 50%

Huawei's Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance delivered 33,537 vehicles in October, down 50.84% year-on-year and 10.54% month-on-month. The decline marked its fifth consecutive month of year-on-year decreases and fourth consecutive month-on-month reduction. Monthly deliveries fell to their lowest level since April, while the annual decline widened considerably from 29.15% in September.

HIMA delivered 400,766 vehicles during the first 10 months of 2026, representing a 3.91% year-on-year decline. This contrasted with the 5.27% cumulative growth recorded during the first nine months, indicating that its year-to-date delivery performance had moved into negative territory for the first time in 2026. The October announcement did not provide a breakdown by individual brand or model, limiting the ability to identify which parts of the alliance contributed most to the overall decline.

Other automakers report varied October delivery results

Several additional manufacturers and automotive brands also reported October figures. SAIC-GM-Wuling recorded global sales of 142,757 vehicles, including 99,958 NEVs, which accounted for more than 70% of the total. Its reported global sales figure includes both NEVs and conventional vehicles and therefore differs from the NEV-only figures reported by some other manufacturers.

Among other brands, Changan Nevo sold 63,648 vehicles globally, increasing 22.24% month-on-month and including 10,152 Q06 vehicles. Deepal, a brand under Changan Automobile, sold 32,602 vehicles globally, up 8.01% from September. GAC Toyota reported 53,022 vehicles, while Seres Group recorded 27,037 and Dongfeng Honda delivered 17,026. Voyah reported 13,030 vehicles, and Volkswagen Anhui delivered 1,597 vehicles.

Volkswagen Anhui said its year-to-date deliveries increased 52% year-on-year, although it did not provide a cumulative delivery total in the reported announcement. The broader October figures also included Nevo's 63,648 deliveries, GAC Toyota's 53,022, Xpeng's 50,237 and the smaller monthly totals recorded by several other manufacturers. These results demonstrate the wide range of delivery volumes and growth trajectories across China's established automakers, joint ventures and emerging EV manufacturers.

Industry Impact & Outlook

October's delivery figures highlight the increasingly differentiated competitive landscape of China's automotive industry. BYD maintained its position as the largest manufacturer in the reported comparison, while Geely and Chery combined substantial NEV volumes with strong export performance. Xpeng, Leapmotor and Xiaomi Auto demonstrated the ability of emerging manufacturers to reach higher monthly delivery levels, although their cumulative progress and annual targets varied. Conversely, declining domestic sales at GWM, consecutive delivery reductions at Nio and Li Auto, and HIMA's reversal into year-to-date decline illustrate the pressure facing several established and emerging players. The reported figures also underline the importance of overseas markets, electrification and new-model production ramps in assessing manufacturers' performance. The coming months will provide further evidence of whether October's records and declines represent sustained changes in their respective delivery trajectories.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which automaker recorded the highest deliveries in China in October 2026?
BYD recorded the highest delivery figure among the listed automakers, selling 490,168 new energy vehicles in October 2026. This represented a 10.97% year-on-year increase and a 5.74% improvement over September. Its monthly total was the highest of the year, extending its year-on-year growth streak to six consecutive months. SAIC followed with 430,018 vehicles, while Geely Auto ranked next with 310,183. The comparison includes different reporting categories, so BYD's NEV-only figure should be distinguished from manufacturers reporting broader vehicle sales.

Which Chinese automakers achieved record deliveries in October 2026?
Several manufacturers and brands reported record or milestone delivery performance in October 2026, including Xpeng, Leapmotor, Xiaomi Auto and Chery Group. Xpeng delivered 50,237 vehicles, exceeding 50,000 for the first time and setting a new monthly record. Leapmotor reached 106,127 deliveries, its fourth consecutive month above 100,000. Xiaomi Auto reported more than 50,000 vehicles, its highest monthly total of the year, while Chery Group achieved record NEV sales of 140,893 vehicles. Geely's Galaxy brand also established a record with 153,385 deliveries.

Why was Xpeng's October 2026 delivery performance significant?
Xpeng's October performance was significant because its monthly deliveries exceeded 50,000 vehicles for the first time, reaching a record 50,237 units. This represented a 19.57% year-on-year increase and a 21.77% month-on-month improvement. Overseas deliveries also established a record at 13,326 vehicles, increasing 166% year-on-year and accounting for 26.53% of total deliveries. Domestic deliveries reached 36,911 vehicles, the company's highest monthly total in China in a year. The result strengthened its monthly performance ahead of its previously stated fourth-quarter target of more than 60,000 monthly sales.

Which automakers experienced declining deliveries in October 2026?
Nio Inc, Li Auto, GWM and Huawei's HIMA were among the manufacturers reporting year-on-year delivery declines in October 2026. Nio delivered 34,246 vehicles, down 15.23%, ending its 31-month streak of annual delivery growth. Li Auto recorded 29,025 deliveries, declining 8.63% and marking its second consecutive annual decrease. GWM sold 120,374 vehicles, down 15.87%, while HIMA delivered 33,537 vehicles, representing a 50.84% decline. These results reflected different challenges across domestic sales, brand performance and cumulative delivery trends.

How did China's major automakers perform in overseas markets during October?
Overseas sales and deliveries provided substantial support for several Chinese automakers in October 2026, particularly BYD, Geely, Chery and GWM. BYD exported 170,194 NEVs, up 102.84% year-on-year, while Geely exported 107,153 vehicles, increasing 157.78%. Chery Group recorded 200,618 exports, up 58.67%, accounting for approximately 68% of its October sales. GWM achieved record overseas sales of 62,862 vehicles, although its annual growth rate slowed to 9.98%. Xpeng also recorded record overseas deliveries of 13,326 vehicles, demonstrating the importance of international operations in its monthly performance.

Which automakers were closest to achieving their 2026 annual delivery targets?
Leapmotor and Xiaomi Auto provided specific annual target comparisons in their October 2026 announcements. Leapmotor delivered 772,666 vehicles during the first 10 months, reaching 77.27% of its annual target of one million vehicles. It therefore needed another 227,334 deliveries during November and December, averaging 113,667 per month. Xiaomi Auto delivered at least 336,490 vehicles during the same period, equivalent to approximately 61.2% of its 550,000-vehicle annual target. The companies' remaining delivery requirements differed, and their October results alone do not establish whether either annual target will be achieved.