KATHMANDU: Chinese electric vehicle (EV) brands posted a stronger performance in June 2026, signaling a recovery after a slow start to the year. Sales had declined steadily until April due to intense competition and policy changes, but the market began improving in May and maintained that momentum in June.
Latest sales figures show that several automakers, including Nio, Xpeng, and Leapmotor, achieved record monthly deliveries. However, Li Auto and Huawei-backed HIMA continued to report weaker year-on-year results.
BYD remained the market leader. The company sold 403,472 new energy vehicles in June, up 5.46 percent from a year earlier and 0.26 percent higher than May. Battery electric vehicle sales reached 201,472 units, while plug-in hybrid electric vehicle sales stood at 195,820 units. BYD sold a total of 1.81 million vehicles during the first six months of 2026.
SAIC ranked second with deliveries of 394,798 vehicles in June.
Leapmotor recorded another strong month, delivering 93,376 vehicles worldwide. Sales increased 94.51 percent year-on-year and 14.47 percent from May. The company delivered 356,487 vehicles in the first half of the year and 246,332 units during the second quarter. Its cumulative global deliveries have now exceeded 1.55 million units. Leapmotor is targeting one million vehicle sales in 2026 as it expands production with support from Stellantis.
Nio delivered a record 40,597 vehicles in June, up 62.88 percent from the same month last year and 7.67 percent from May. However, its second-quarter deliveries of 107,658 units remained below expectations.
Xpeng delivered 40,126 vehicles in June, marking its highest monthly sales of 2026. Sales rose 15.93 percent year-on-year and 24.78 percent compared with May, ending five consecutive months of declining deliveries.
Li Auto delivered 30,895 vehicles in June. Sales fell 14.84 percent year-on-year and 7.36 percent from May. The company delivered 98,330 vehicles in the second quarter and 193,472 units during the first half of the year.
Huawei-backed HIMA delivered 50,624 vehicles in June. Although deliveries increased 9.76 percent from May, they declined 3.73 percent year-on-year, marking its first annual sales drop since May 2025. First-half deliveries reached 242,229 units, up 18.74 percent from a year earlier.
Zeekr delivered 35,169 vehicles in June, more than doubling its sales from the same period last year with 111 percent growth. Deliveries also increased 2.3 percent from May.
Changan’s Deepal brand sold 33,625 vehicles in June, up 12.5 percent year-on-year. It also maintained monthly sales above 30,000 units for the fourth consecutive month.
Xiaomi EV delivered more than 30,000 vehicles in June for the third straight month. The company aims to sell 550,000 vehicles in 2026.
Voyah delivered 14,223 vehicles in June, up 41.48 percent year-on-year and 9.38 percent from May. The brand delivered 76,264 vehicles during the first six months of the year, an increase of 35.88 percent from the same period last year.
