China’s giant BYD sold 67,980 hybrid and fully electric vehicles from May 5 to May 11 in its home market, according to insurance registration data shared on social media this Tuesday.
Sales increased 14.6% when compared with the 59,310 vehicles registered in the first week of May.
Sales rose steadily each week since the start of the quarter, except for the first week of May, when the Labor Day holiday and typically slower early-month activity led to a temporary dip.
BYD‘s sub-brand Denza registered 3,000 vehicles, with its N9 hybrid SUV exceeding 1,000 weekly units for the seventh consecutive week. The model launched in China last March and, according to the brand, sales surpassed 8,000 units.
Year to date, the brand recorded 967,800 units in China. Including overseas figures, BYDÂ surpassed 1 million vehicles, with nearly 1,380,900 units sold up until April 30.
Aiming to sell 5.5 billion units worldwide in 2025, the brand completed 25% of the guidance.
Competitors
Last week, Li Auto listed 8,200 units, down from 11,400 the week before — it was the only brand to show sales growth in the first week of May. Leapmotor sold 7,800 units, XPeng 6,900 and Xiaomi 5,200 — the third consecutive decline in sales for the tech giant.
In the premium sector, Zeekr sold 4,300 EVs, surpassing its main competitor Nio, which sold 3,900 vehicles. This is the first time in four weeks that Zeekr has outpaced Nio.
Tesla’s sales plunged 57.9% to 3,070 units, its lowest since January. The U.S. brand is the second best-selling new energy vehicle (NEV) in China year to date, with over 170,000 vehicles sold.
Expansion
BYD announced it expanded to Romania last week, partnering with the local dealerships Tiriac Auto and DAB Auto to open its first store in Bucharest.
The brand’s lineup in the country include the fully electric Sealion 7 and Seal models, such as the city compact Atto 2, aimed at European markets. The hybrid Seal U DM-i SUV is also available in the market.
In April, the brand had expanded to Czech Republic, Slovakia and Croatia. Last week, Reuters reported that the China giant plans for half of its total sales to come from international markets by 2030.
On the other side of the Atlantic, BYD’s plant in Brazil is set to start production in December 2026, after construction was halted due to an investigation on labor abuse practices.
According to Bahia state labor secretary Augusto Vasconcelos, “a new schedule is being established so that by December 2026 the factory will be fully functional with the expectation of generating 10,000 jobs.”
The company unveiled its e7 sedan earlier this Tuesday, set to launch on Saturday, May 17. According to its log on the MIIT catalog, it is equipped with a single electric motor delivering a peak power of 100 kW and can reach a top speed of 150 kilometers per hour.
The entry-level model — as it is expected to cost around 100,000 yuan ($13,800) — is part of the brand’s more affordable e-series.
