①In February, automobile exports reached 6.72 million units, a year-on-year increase of 52.4%; from January to February, automobile exports amounted to 13.52 million units, a year-on-year increase of 48.4%. ②According to statistics compiled by a Cailian News reporter covering the sales performance of 14 A/H-share listed automakers from January to February, nine of these companies achieved year-on-year growth, accounting for over 60%.
Cailian News, March 11 (reported by Xu Hao) – On March 11, data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) showed that in February, automobile production and sales reached 16.72 million units and 18.05 million units respectively, representing month-on-month declines of 31.7% and 23.1%, and year-on-year decreases of 20.5% and 15.2%. From January to February, automobile production and sales totaled 41.22 million units and 41.52 million units, with year-on-year declines of 9.5% and 8.8%, respectively.
Despite downward pressure on the domestic automobile market, automobile exports in February reached 6.72 million units, a year-on-year increase of 52.4%; from January to February, automobile exports amounted to 13.52 million units, a year-on-year increase of 48.4%.
A Cailian News reporter analyzed the sales performance of 14 A/H-share listed automakers from January to February, revealing that nine of these companies achieved year-on-year growth, accounting for over 60%. Additionally, three automakers reported overseas sales surpassing their domestic market performance in February.
SAIC Motor, maintaining its leading position, sold 2.69 million units in February, a year-on-year decrease of 8.64%; cumulative sales from January to February reached 5.97 million units, a year-on-year increase of 6.8%. “By further advancing reform and innovation, as well as accelerating transformation and upgrades, SAIC has achieved continuous breakthroughs in self-owned brands, new energy vehicles, and overseas operations,” stated representatives from SAIC Motor.
Notably, SAIC Motor’s export and overseas base sales performed exceptionally well, with February sales reaching 990,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 46.12%; cumulative sales from January to February totaled 2.04 million units, a year-on-year increase of 48.92%, providing significant support to overall sales performance.
Following closely, Geely Auto sold 2.06 million units in February, a slight year-on-year increase of 0.6%; cumulative sales from January to February reached 4.76 million units, a year-on-year increase of 1%. In February, Geely Auto’s new energy vehicle sales amounted to 1.17 million units, a year-on-year increase of 19%, accounting for 57% of total sales. Geely Auto's overseas sales in February reached 610,000 units, doubling year-on-year.
BYD, which was overtaken by Geely in January, sold 190,000 units in February, with cumulative sales from January to February amounting to 400,000 units, representing a year-on-year decrease of 35.80%. Specifically, BYD sold 188,000 passenger cars in February, with the Dynasty and Ocean series contributing 165,000 units. The three brands Fangchengbao, Tengshi, and Yangwang delivered 17,000 units, 5,501 units, and 232 units respectively.
Amid current pressures on the domestic automobile market, BYD hosted a launch event on March 5 for its second-generation Blade Battery and flash charging technology, simultaneously unveiling ten models equipped with the second-generation Blade Battery, including the Yangwang U7, Tengshi N9, Fangchengbao Titanium 3, Sealion 07, Datang, Sealion 06, Song Ultra, Fangchengbao Titanium 7, Tengshi Z9GT, and Yangwang U8L. “As these new models gradually enter the market, it is expected that the impact of this new technology on BYD's sales will become evident starting in April,” noted an industry insider.
Notably, BYD’s overseas sales in February surpassed domestic sales for the first time, reaching 1 million units, a year-on-year increase of 41.4%; cumulative overseas sales from January to February exceeded 2 million units. “The company’s overseas sales target for 2026 is set at 13 million units. The Tengshi brand will officially expand overseas this year, and the Flash Charging Station project is scheduled to go international by the end of this year,” revealed Li Yunfei, General Manager of BYD Group and Public Relations Department.
Chery and Great Wall Motor also reported overseas sales exceeding domestic market performance in February. Chery sold 1.46 million units in February, a year-on-year decrease of 14.78%; overseas sales reached 1.17 million units. Great Wall Motor sold 720,000 units in February, a year-on-year decrease of 6.79%; overseas sales reached 430,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 37.36%.
In addition, Changan Auto's sales volume in February reached 152,000 units, with overseas sales reaching 64,900 units, a year-on-year increase of 36.52%. GAC Group's sales volume in February was 87,000 units, with overseas sales of its self-owned brands reaching 11,100 units, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 114%. Seres, which sold 15,000 units in February, is accelerating its globalization strategy through the Wentai brand. On February 6, Wentai signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Abu Dhabi Motors, a leading luxury car dealership group in the UAE, and secured its first batch of orders.
The February sales volume of new-entrant automakers as a whole fell back to the range of 20,000 units. Among them, Leapmotor delivered 28,067 new vehicles in February, a year-on-year increase of 10.99%; Li Auto delivered 26,421 new vehicles in February, showing a slight year-on-year increase of 0.6%; Nio delivered 20,797 new vehicles in February, a year-on-year increase of 57.65%. XPeng Motors performed worse than its competitors, delivering 15,256 new vehicles in February, a year-on-year decrease of 49.9%.
“The passenger vehicle market in China during the first quarter of this year is very challenging, with a slight decline expected compared to last year. However, the growth of pure electric models has been very strong. Last year’s overall growth in new energy vehicles was driven by pure electric models. This year, pure electric models will continue to maintain relatively rapid growth.” William Li, Chairman of Nio, stated during the earnings call for Q4 and full-year 2025.
The automobile market in February remained subdued due to the dual pressures of holidays and policy rollbacks. Nevertheless, the industry remains optimistic about this year’s automobile market. “This year’s government work report explicitly emphasized stimulating domestic consumer demand through both intrinsic motivation and consumption promotion policies, amplifying the ‘combined effect’ of these measures, deeply addressing ‘internally competitive’ practices, and fostering a favorable market ecosystem. As post-holiday local subsidy details are fully implemented, spring auto shows commence promotions, and automakers gradually release new products, these factors will help boost consumer confidence, stimulate vitality in the automobile market, and promote the healthy and stable operation of the industry,” said the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).
