Overseas markets provide lifeline as domestic retail sinks

Chinese automakers posted resilient September sales even as domestic passenger vehicle retail fell by double digits, with export volumes emerging as the primary growth engine.

Data from the China Passenger Car Association show that September sales of passenger vehicles reached roughly 1.69 million units, up 9.7 percent month-on-month. But it was a drop of 24.6 percent year-on-year due to a high comparison base in 2025.

In terms of different brands, BYD maintained strong new energy vehicle performance, selling 463,561 units in September, representing a 17 percent year-on-year rise. Its exports of passenger cars and pickups jumped 153.9 percent year-on-year to 179,877 units. Cumulative overseas deliveries over the first three quarters hit 1.34 million units, exceeding the brand's full-year export volume recorded in 2025.

READ MORE: China's auto exports top 1 million for third straight month

Geely and Chery recorded similar export-driven gains. Geely sold 292,168 vehicles in September, with exports surging 162 percent year-on-year to 106,700 units. Chery delivered 292,308 vehicles, up 4.2 percent year-on-year. Its September exports hit a record 207,814 units, marking a new monthly high for Chinese automakers. Its exports over the nine months rose 65.6 percent year-on-year to 1.55 million units, accounting for 70 percent of the brand's total sales.

SAIC reported about 406,000 vehicle sales in September. Its overseas shipments rose 49.1 percent year-on-year to 150,000 units, bringing its nine-month overseas sales volume to 1.17 million units.

NEV startups delivered mixed results. Leapmotor handed over 105,656 vehicles in September, marking three consecutive monthly deliveries above 100,000 units. September exports topped 27,000 units, with January to September overseas shipments surpassing 150,000 units and its 2026 export target reached ahead of schedule.

Leapmotor is showcasing models including the D19 SUV and A05 hatchback at the ongoing Paris Motor Show 2026 to expand its overseas presence.

XPeng delivered 41,256 vehicles in September, up 5 percent month-on-month. The right-hand-drive G9L SUV is making its overseas debut at the Paris Motor Show.

Xiaomi Auto delivered more than 40,000 vehicles in September — its first month above that threshold this year. The new Skynomad range-extended model, which began deliveries in mid-September, recorded over 10,000 units in its debut month and drove the brand's monthly sales growth.

Nio achieved steady growth backed by its multi-brand strategy, delivering 37,408 vehicles in September, up 7.7 percent year-on-year across its Nio, Onvo and Firefly product lines.

New energy subsidiaries spun out of legacy automakers posted standout results. Geely's Zeekr delivered 37,216 vehicles in September, up 103.85 percent year-on-year, marking its eighth consecutive month of both year-on-year and month-on-month growth.

Changan Qiyuan achieved a brand-record high of 46,507 global deliveries in September, representing a 1.4 percent month-on-month gain.

Some market players faced sales headwinds. Despite a string of new product launches, Huawei's Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance delivered 37,490 vehicles in September, down 11 percent month-on-month and 29 percent year-on-year, marking three straight months of falling sales.

The alliance covers Aito, Luxeed, Stelato, Maextro and Shangjie, which are codeveloped in partnership with Seres, Chery, BAIC, JAC and SAIC.

Li Auto's September deliveries fell to 31,817 units, down 6.3 percent year-on-year and 15.6 percent month-on-month, largely because of the brand's ongoing product transition cycle. The upgraded 2026 i6 electric sedan is set to launch in October with improvements in range, comfort and intelligent features.

Meanwhile, Li Auto is making its European premiere at the Paris Motor Show, where the i6 will officially enter the European market.

China's traditional "golden September" sales season underperformed amid slowing domestic market expansion. As domestic growth momentum weakens, overseas markets have become a critical second growth curve, enabling many Chinese automakers to maintain positive growth.

The Paris Motor Show 2026 serves as the latest key platform for Chinese automotive brands to accelerate their European expansion. The exhibition features strong Chinese participation, with Chinese automakers occupying 20 out of 65 total exhibition booths, nearly one-third of the total, and showcasing more than 10 debut and flagship new energy models.

Geely Group is showcasing its product portfolio across five exhibition halls, covering Geely, Lynk & Co, Zeekr, Volvo, smart and Lotus.

Aito is displaying its full SUV lineup from the M5 to M9.

The motor show has become a key venue for multiple brands to announce their official entry into European markets, including Li Auto, Dongfeng Forthing and GAC Aion.

Dongfeng Forthing is exhibiting its S7 sedan and V6 MPV, which are available in Germany and Italy. The brand plans to expand its European footprint to France, Norway and Denmark in the coming months.

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GAC Group revealed its European localization strategy during the exhibition. Its new overseas product lineup includes the Aion UT crossover and the midsized GAC GS7 SUV. The new models will be assembled by Magna Steyr at its Austrian manufacturing plant, with a target to achieve full market coverage across Europe by 2028.

Chinese automotive brands are rapidly gaining market traction across Europe. Their market share in France climbed from 3.4 percent in 2025 to 8 percent in September.

Beyond simple product exports and overseas sales, Chinese automakers are accelerating brand building and establishing fully localized overseas operational systems to support long-term global development.

Contact the writers at caoyingying@chinadaily.com.cn