Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers have maintained their strong dominance in the global EV market in April 2026, despite intense competition within the domestic industry. The latest sales performance highlights continued growth, particularly in exports, reinforcing China’s leading position in the global new energy vehicle (NEV) sector.
BYD retains market leadership
According to a report by CarNewsChina, BYD remained the top-selling NEV brand in April, recording 314,100 units in sales. However, the company continued to face a year-on-year decline for the eighth consecutive month.
Despite this, BYD achieved a new milestone in overseas expansion, with exports reaching a record 134,500 units during the same period.
Strong performances across Chinese EV makers
Other major Chinese automakers also posted notable results:
Chery achieved a historic breakthrough, surpassing 100,000 NEV sales for the first time with 100,276 units.
Geely recorded 135,591 NEV units sold.
Its premium EV brand Zeekr reached a record 31,787 units, marking a 132% year-on-year increase.
Leapmotor also delivered strong growth, achieving its highest-ever monthly sales of 71,387 units, up 73.9% year-on-year.
China’s global EV dominance continues
Despite softer domestic demand, China is expected to account for more than 60% of global EV sales in April 2026. This growth is largely driven by accelerating export performance and continued expansion of Chinese EV brands into international markets.
The latest figures reinforce China’s position as the global leader in the electric vehicle industry, with manufacturers continuing to scale production, diversify exports, and strengthen competitiveness across both mass-market and premium EV segments.