Epic months for Leapmotor, Qiyuan, and Onvo, but bad momentum for Li Auto, NIO, and iCar.
China’s August NEV sales and deliveries are mostly in, and it was a more positive month for the vast majority of brands in our table, with some new monthly records set, but for others things seem to be spiralling in the wrong direction. Let’s dive into the numbers.
BYD
As ever, BYD kick us off with a good month for them, one that saw them improve their performance by 8% over July with sales of 339,353 units.
That’s the positive side of what has been a somewhat stagnant few months for BYD with their accelerating growth grinding to a halt recently as more competition enters the market, as reflected in the year-on-year decline of 3.85%.
There’s no reason for concern just yet, they’re still head and shoulders above the competition, but each sale will require that little bit more effort now.
Geely Galaxy
Geely’s Galaxy range had a record month in August, returning to the centurion club with 110,666 deliveries, an impressive 16% increase over last month possibly due to new models like the A7L and M9.
The big improvement is also reflected in the year-on-year figures with growth of 173% over the same month last year, and with the range continuing to grow, they’re going to continue to put pressure on BYD piece-by-piece.
Leapmotor
An epic month for Leapmotor in what’s been a spectacular year, with a new record high delivery figure of 57,066 a 14% improvement on last month, itself a record.
The 88% improvement over last year looks to be down to the new models in the range since, including high volume hitters like the B10, B01, C10, and C16.
Their onslaught on Europe will begin in earnest at this month’s IAA where Leapmotor will launch the Lafa 5 hatchback, so this number looks set to continue rising.
Wuling
Wuling actually had a very good month in August but fall down the table because Baojun is also normally represented in their number but those numbers haven’t been released.
Nevertheless, Wuling still sitting fourth on this list with 56,495 units, a 17% improvement on last year, is already an achievement, even if most of their cars are of the micro city variety.
Tesla
As ever, Tesla’s figures are unofficial since they only share details of the cars produced in Shanghai which includes exports, but averaging the monthly sales info gives us a number around 55,578 units for August.
What we do know is that the total wholesale figure was down on last year, but with positive reports about the Model Y L’s order rate, we could see this number jump in September.
XPeng
XPeng’s eleventh consecutive month above 30,000 units is also a new record high, topping even their December 2024 performance with 37,709 deliveries in August.
A modest 3% improvement over last month, but a massive 169% improvement over the same month last year.
Eventually that YoY number will drop when their revival months crossover, but with pre-sales of the new P7 looking good, XPeng could take this number above 40k for the first time in Golden September.
Qiyuan
Qiyuan returning to the 30,000+ club in August with their second best month ever, 37,340 units bringing them right up to XPeng’s tail.
That figure represented a massive 31% jump on last month, and a near doubling of last year’s figure, and with the Q05 about the enter the field, the good news is likely to keep on coming in Chongqing.
Xiaomi
Xiaomi reported another round 30,000+ month in August as they very steadily ramp up deliveries of the YU7.
Things are taking a bit longer than expected, particularly given the huge pre-order figures from the launch, but the numbers are climbing so expect this monthly figure to improve soon enough.
Li Auto
Li Auto seem to be in something of a negative spiral of late with August their second worst month of the year, beaten only by the Chinese New Year-disrupted February.
Deliveries of just 28,529 units means a 7% decline from last month, and a worrying 41% down on last year, as the competition against extended range EVs intensifies.
The i8 might give them a boost in September, and then a further boost in the form of the i6 should come shortly after, but if they don’t do the job, Li might need a new selling point.
Deepal
Deepal’s positive August saw them get within touching distance of Li Auto, with 28,235 deliveries in August a 4% improvement on last month and a 40% gain on August last year.
With a new A06 model set to launch in Munich next week and the updated S07 launched in Chengdu, Deepal look well placed to potentially climb further.
GAC AION
GAC AION, like Li Auto, have been stagnating of late, but August’s numbers stayed stabled with 27,044 units a minor 2% increase on last month.
The more concerning figure is a 24% drop on last year, so they’ll be hoping the new extended range HL and upcoming Hyptec A800 make an impression.
Lynk & Co
Lynk & Co’s steady improvement continues, August a record month of new energy deliveries for them with 19,055 units a 5% improvement on July.
They continue to outperform their parent company, albeit with the benefit of hybrids making up the bulk of those numbers, and with the new 10 EM-P recently launched, they could top 20,000 units next month.
Zeekr
Zeekr’s middling year very much continued in August, 17,626 deliveries a 4% improvement on last month but a small 2% drop on last year.
As the brand tries to reposition itself as a more premium brand, putting space between itself and Lynk & Co, expect months like this to continue a bit longer.
That being said, the brand’s new flagship SUV, the 9X, claimed around 50,000 pre-orders after launch in Chengdu, so when that officially hits the market they could be due a decent boost.
Onvo
Standout performer of the month was Onvo, climbing nine places up the table with their best month ever, shattering the previous high of 10,528 with a bumper 16,434 units in August.
That’s a 175% month-on-month gain, likely the largest such monthly improvement we’ve ever seen, and all thanks to the launch of the L90 three-row SUV with a somewhat incredible price tag.
This leapfrogs the brand far above parent company NIO, whose fortunes are going in the opposite direction.
Fangchengbao
Another solid month of growth for Fangchengbao who had their second best month ever with 16,265 units delivered a 15% improvement on last month.
More pertinently, it’s a 234% improvement on last year, and with the new Tai 7 set to hit the market in a few days time, the brand should continue to push forwards to the end of the year.
Voyah
August was a new record high month for Voyah whose pivot towards using Huawei’s ADAS system and operating system seems to be paying dividends.
An 11% improvement on July saw them deliver 13,505 units in August, a figure that was more than double their performance in the same month last year.
With an updated Courage also about to go on sale and the new Zhuiguang L not far away, don’t be surprised if these numbers continue to move northward.
Denza
Denza seem to have hit something of a wall in their progress with August’s 11,993 units some way below their best months this year.
While it is a 5% improvement on July and a 20% improvement on last year, they’re being outperformed by sister brand Fangchengbao, who perhaps will be donating support in the form of the Bao 5, rebadged as a Denza B5, when it goes on sale in markets like Australia.
AVATR
AVATR seem very much hooked on the circa 10k milestone with yet another month in its vicinity, 10,565 deliveries enough to take them above NIO and a 5% gain on last month, but still behind their best month.
With a 185% improvement on last year, the positive is in the long-term story, but it doesn’t feel they’ve got much left in them to climb beyond their current level without new models.
NIO
While Onvo climbs, NIO dives, 10,525 deliveries in August a return to their struggling days under the circa 10k glass ceiling.
The figures don’t tell tell a positive story, 17% down on last month and a whopping 48% down on last year, a drop of nearly half.
NIO’s boss William Li has said the brand is in a fight for its life, and yet somehow it seems the Onvo brand is the one doing the heavy lifting.
A surprisingly affordable price point for the flagship ES8 SUV could be just the tonic for the brand, if people don’t just go for the already impressive L90, but will price cuts attack their premium branding. Only time will tell.
Wey
Wey had a fairly poor month in August, dropping back below 10,000 units and 20% on July, with just 8,028 units delivered.
These fluctuations seem par for the course for brands like Wey, and they’ll take heart from their sales being up 168% on last year, but there’s nothing much in the pipeline at Wey so for now, this seems about it.
IM
IM’s malaise does still seem in full swing, a poor month in August seeing them drop 13% on last month for just 6,108 units.
Updates to the L6, and a new, rather ugly update to the LS6 that includes an impressive EREV drivetrain, could help guide this figure closer to safer territory, but we won’t hold too much hope just yet.
Ora
Ora’s steadily positive trajectory continued in August, 5,223 deliveries a year-high figure for the GWM-owned brand, and a 21% improvement on last month.
It was also a 21% improvement on the same month last year, so perhaps there is still a little life in the cats yet. We’ll keep a close eye on this one.
iCar
A pretty disastrous month for iCar saw them only deliver 4,820 units, a 27% drop on last months’ poor performance, and their worst month of the year.
One potential explanation is the brand holding back deliveries of the updated V23 with more power and a bigger battery, but that doesn’t seem entirely feasible.
Still, the new V27 is also set to enter the scene in the coming months so this might just be a temporary hiccup.
firefly
firefly had a much better month in August, their 4,346 delivered an 84% gain on last month, and the brand’s best month of a very short existence.
The numbers are still some way short of the 10,000 figure they’re almost certainly aspiring too, but we might soon start to get European sales kicking in and they will tell us how much hope firefly should have long term.
ROX
ROX remain second bottom of our list, August another record month for them, but these numbers are certainly not sustainable long term and growth of 3%, to 1,358 units, is just too slow.
Concerns for the brand continue to be high.
Yangwang
Yangwang had another better month in August, aside from claiming the title of world’s fastest EV with the U9 Track Edition, but 405 units is still a small number even considering the brand’s premium status.
Still, positives where we can find them, August was a 19% improvement on July, a 31% improvement on last year, and their best month of the year so far.
Perhaps the incoming U8L will give them a boost.
