BYD boosts sales by 22% in July
Chinese automaker BYD increased its sales for the third consecutive month in July after eight months of year-on-year declines through April. Exports again accounted for a record 43 per cent of total sales, matching June's level, while the domestic market continued to contract.
The Chinese industry leader continued to accelerate its growth in July 2026, posting its third consecutive month of strong sales gains after increases in May and June. The company sold 419,211 new energy vehicles worldwide last month, up 21.76 per cent year on year and marking its highest monthly sales total so far this year. International business remained the main growth driver, while the domestic market showed signs of recovery for new battery technologies despite the seasonal summer slowdown.
International business remained the key growth driver. Exports, including to Europe, rose to a record 179,841 units in July, up 124.3 per cent year on year. They accounted for around 43 per cent of the group’s total sales, matching June’s share. Against this backdrop, the company is preparing to start series production at its first European passenger car factory in Szeged, Hungary, in the fourth quarter of 2026. Electric vehicles built there will not be subject to the EU’s additional tariffs on electric cars manufactured in China.
In the domestic market, the company sold around 239,370 vehicles. The year-on-year decline of around nine per cent was significantly smaller than in previous months, supported in part by consistently strong demand for models featuring fast-charging technology.
Despite intense competition in China, the group’s emerging brands continued to perform strongly. The off-road brand Fang Cheng Bao, which is not yet available in Europe, set a new sales record with 41,213 units, up around 190 per cent year on year. The premium brand Denza, which entered the German market this spring, contributed 19,196 units, an increase of 68.8 per cent, while the Yangwang hypercar brand sold 485 vehicles. The Dynasty and Ocean model series remained the backbone of BYD’s business, accounting for 350,178 units sold.
The sales recovery is accompanied by production progress, although logistical challenges remain. According to the company, strong demand is being driven by the transition to the second-generation Blade battery with flash-charging capability, while overseas growth is currently constrained by limited shipping capacity.
The year-to-date figures also reflect the recovery, although BYD has not yet matched last year’s performance. In the first seven months of 2026, the company delivered 2.23 million new energy vehicles worldwide, a decline of 10.54 per cent compared to the same period in 2025. However, the gap has narrowed significantly. Year-on-year sales growth stood at 0.26 per cent in May and 5.5 per cent in June before accelerating to 21.76 per cent in July. BYD also said it has now surpassed cumulative sales of 17.3 million new energy vehicles.