Leading Chinese automakers reported significant sales growth in May 2026, but the driving forces behind this growth are not just expansion in the domestic market, but development abroad, electrification and strengthening of their own brands, according to Gasgoo.
Exports have become a strategic necessity rather than an addition: in May, Chery exported 181,871 vehicles, an increase of 80.5% over last year, with significant growth in Europe; BYD set a new monthly export record of 160,644 vehicles, an increase of 80.4%; SAIC sold 588,741 vehicles abroad in a year. In the first five months, Geely's exports grew by 184% and GAC's own brand exports grew by 135%. At the same time, cars powered by new types of energy are shifting from policy-driven adoption to technology-driven competition. With the exception of BYD, all the major study groups achieved a penetration of new-energy vehicles of more than 30%, while SAIC and Geely achieved more than 50%. SAIC, Geely, Chery, Changan, and GAC are using multi-brand strategies to reach the mass market, premium, and youth segments, while simultaneously introducing cutting-edge technology into lower-priced models.
The third shift is the growing popularity of local brands within large groups: SAIC's own brands currently account for more than 70% of sales, while GAC and Changan are increasingly focusing on their own brands. Chinese automakers are now competing in the global market in the areas of exports, technology, cost control, and brand development, not just for domestic sales.
