In 2025, Chinese automakers demonstrated extremely diverse sales results. According to CarNewsChina, while some companies exceeded their targets, others fell significantly short of planned volumes, reflecting both the successes and difficulties of the Chinese automotive industry amid growing competition and large-scale industry transformation.
The largest Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, BYD, finished the year with sales of 4,602,436 vehicles, which was 83.68% of the target of 5.5 million units. Despite the shortfall, BYD retained its sales leadership and continues to set the tone in the domestic market. Interestingly, the company initially expected 5.5 million vehicles, and even with some lag, it remains a major player in both traditional and electric models.
Geely demonstrated a strong result: 3,024,567 vehicles sold, slightly exceeding the target of 3 million units, with a completion rate of 100.82%. The initial goal for the beginning of the year was 2.71 million units, and the mid-year revision increased the achievement rate to 111.6%. This growth indicates Geely's stable strategy and the company's flexibility in adapting to market conditions.
Chery finished the year with 2,631,381 vehicles sold, reaching 80.72% of the target of 3.26 million units. While the company remains one of the leading exporters and manufacturers in the domestic market, the failure to meet targets shows a limitation of growth amid ambitious plans and high competition in the SUV and sedan segments.
The largest gap between plan and result was shown by Great Wall Motors: sales amounted to only 1,323,672 units, which is equivalent to 33.09% of the target volume of 4 million vehicles. This figure is due to the company's ambitious goals, which set record targets for the sale of both internal combustion engines and new energy sources. At the same time, GWM's EV sales amounted to 403,653 units, lagging behind most competitors except Nio, which emphasizes the need to revise the strategy in the electric vehicle segment.
Leapmotor and Xpeng stand out among the successful players: Leapmotor sold 596,555 vehicles with a target of 500,000, reaching 119.31% of the plan, and Xpeng Motors - 429,445 units, exceeding the target of 350,000 by 22.69%. Xiaomi Auto, in its first full year of production, sold more than 400,000 vehicles, which is more than 114% of the target. These results confirm the effectiveness of new brands focused on electric and hybrid models and demonstrate the demand for modern and affordable solutions in the EV segment.
Among the companies that did not reach their targets: HIMA sold only 589,107 vehicles out of the million planned (58.91%), Li Auto - 406,343 out of 640,000 (63.49%), and Nio finished the year with sales of 326,028 units, which is 74.10% of the target. Despite the growth in sales in December, these companies faced difficulties in increasing production and distribution of supplies, especially in the highly competitive niche of electric vehicles.
In general, 2025 showed that the Chinese automotive industry continues to develop dynamically, but the results strongly depend on the strategy of each company, the chosen segment, and the demand for new energy sources. Leaders retain their positions thanks to large-scale supplies and a stable customer base, while outsiders must revise their plans and improve production chains to reach a higher level of goal achievement.