On May 4th, the leading domestic automotive brands—BYD, Geely, Chery, Great Wall Motor, and Changan—released their April sales figures, highlighting new energy vehicles (NEVs) and exports as key growth engines. Let's delve into the details!

BYD: Reinforcing Its NEV Leadership

In April, BYD sold 380,000 NEVs, marking a 21.34% year-on-year increase. Cumulative sales from January to April totaled 1,380,900 vehicles, up 46.98% year-on-year.

BYD's overseas market significantly contributed to its April performance, with 79,000 vehicles exported—a year-on-year surge of over 65%. The introduction of models such as Han Tang L and the Sea Lion series further solidified its market presence.

Market Pressure: Despite competition from new players like Zero Running, XPeng, and NIO, as well as joint venture brands, BYD maintains an edge in technology iteration and mass production capabilities.

Geely Automobile: Accelerating Its Transition to NEVs

Geely sold 234,100 vehicles in April, a 53% year-on-year increase. Sales of NEVs reached 125,500, soaring 144% year-on-year.

Notably, the Yinhe brand sold nearly 100,000 vehicles in April, up 281% year-on-year, with models like Xingyuan and Yinhe E5 becoming standouts. ZEEKR sold 13,700 vehicles, down 15% year-on-year, but Link&Co's 47% growth underscores Geely's balanced development across both fuel and NEV segments.

Exports totaled 38,000 vehicles, a 75% year-on-year increase, reflecting Geely's deepening global footprint.

Chery Group: Exports Continue to Drive Sales

Chery sold 200,700 vehicles in April, with cumulative sales from January to April reaching 820,000, a 15.3% year-on-year increase. NEV sales totaled 61,200, up 85.5% year-on-year.

Exports were a significant driver, accounting for 89,000 vehicles in April alone—firmly positioning Chery as the top exporter among domestic brands, with exports comprising nearly 45% of total sales.

While Chery's main brand and Jetour were the primary sales contributors, iCAR sold 6,947 vehicles, showing little improvement. The iAuto brand fared even worse, failing to reach the 10,000-vehicle mark with sales below 5,000, suggesting waning Huawei influence.

Chery's NEV sector still requires concerted efforts for growth.

Great Wall Motor: Balancing Off-Road and NEV Markets

Great Wall Motor sold 100,000 vehicles in April, a 5.55% year-on-year increase. NEV sales reached 28,800, up 28.42% year-on-year.

The Tank brand performed robustly, selling 20,500 vehicles—an 87.5% year-on-year increase, thanks to the breakthrough of Hi4-T hybrid technology in the off-road market. Haval sold 47,000 vehicles, while Ora declined to 4,686, indicating a need to accelerate NEV transformation.

Exports totaled 36,000 vehicles, a 65.68% year-on-year increase, marking initial success in Great Wall Motor's globalization strategy.

Changan Automobile: NEV Transformation Bears Fruit

While Changan Automobile has yet to announce its total April sales, its self-owned brands sold 51,700 NEVs, a 129% year-on-year increase.

Deep Blue delivered 20,100 vehicles, up 58% year-on-year, with S09 model orders exceeding 10,000, showcasing potential in the mid-range market. AITO sold 11,700 vehicles, up 122.6% year-on-year, benefiting from its high-end positioning and extended-range technology strategy.

Conclusion: Among the top five domestic brands from the past to April 2025, BYD continues to dominate but lacks a strong fuel vehicle segment. Geely Automobile has successfully transitioned, maintaining a healthy balance between fuel and NEVs.

Chery Automobile remains export-dependent, with its NEV sector lagging. Changan Automobile's NEV transformation is yielding results, with Deep Blue and AITO improving. Great Wall Motor, aided by Hi4 technology, has embarked on a new NEV path but faces challenges due to its heavy focus on off-road models.

With increasing competition, particularly from new players, the automotive market will become even more intense. So, which automaker captures your interest? Share your thoughts in the comments!