In April 2026, Chery exported 177,600 vehicles setting a new monthly record, while BYD overseas sales exceeded 130,000 units for the first time with 70.9% year-over-year growth. Both brands target 1.5 million overseas sales in 2026.
In April 2026, China's new energy passenger vehicle market reached 819,000 units sold, with market penetration climbing to 59.6%. BYD dominated with 291,965 units, followed by Geely (135,645), Tesla China (79,478), and Chery (61,805). Battery EVs accounted for 573,000 units, PHEVs 179,000, and EREVs 67,000.
April 2026 export data reveals Chery leading with 177,600 units—a new monthly record for Chinese brands. BYD crossed 130,000 overseas units for the first time, up 70.9% YoY, with 454,000+ cumulative exports in Jan-Apr. Geely surged 245% YoY. Both Chery and BYD have set 2026 export targets at 1.5 million units.
Uzbekistan is Central Asia's largest and most mature automotive market. 2024 new car sales exceeded 400,000 units, with BYD ranking third at 17,000 units and Chery fourth at 7,500. The UzAVTO-BYD joint venture for NEV production marks a key step in Chinese brands' localization strategy in Central Asia.
ACEA data shows Spain's pure electric vehicle registrations reached 36,949 units in the first four months of 2026, up 41.9% year-over-year, exceeding Sweden (35,069 units) and the Netherlands (34,417 units), approaching Norway's 37,569 units. Total Spanish passenger vehicle registrations were 407,389 units, up 7.8%. PHEV registrations reached 48,775 units, surging 64.3% year-over-year.
Latest 2026 data shows Chinese brand passenger vehicles now hold 40% market share in Russia, making China the largest brand camp in the country. This means 4 out of every 10 new cars sold are Chinese. Chery, Haval, Geely and Changan have established deep roots through KD assembly and localized operations, while Japanese and Korean brands continue to retreat. For Central Asian and Russian buyers, the choice space, after-sales network and product iteration speed of Chinese cars have fundamentally changed.
In Jan-Apr 2026, China exported 1.384 million NEVs, up 120% YoY; total vehicle exports reached 3.127 million, up 61.5%. Chery, BYD, Geely, Changan, and Great Wall all scored significant overseas growth.
May 2026 data shows Chinese brands' share of the European pure-electric vehicle market exceeded 15% for the first time, reaching 15.2%. This milestone marks the transition of Chinese EV exports from "exploratory entry" to "scaled establishment." For buyers in Central Asia and Russia, Chinese EVs gaining recognition in Europe—the world's most demanding automotive market—serves as a significant quality endorsement signal.
April 2026 China auto market sales data is out. BYD continues to hold the top spot with 321,000 units. Chery Automobile's exports doubled year-over-year to 98,000 units, hitting a historical high. NIO, Xpeng, and other new forces showed clear divergence. This sales landscape reflects the effectiveness of Chinese automakers' dual-track strategy: consolidating domestic fundamentals while accelerating overseas expansion.
The April 2026 PHEV sales ranking is out. BYD Song Pro DM-i won for the fifth consecutive month with 23,890 units. Chery Tansuo 06 C-DM surged 93% YoY to 8th place; Geely Galaxy Starship 7 EM-i rose 45% MoM to 3rd place. The PHEV market is shifting from "BYD dominance" to "multi-polar competition."
Kyrgyzstan's 2026 annual quota of 15,000 duty-free NEV imports is now in effect through year-end or until exhausted. The policy provides a compliant customs channel for Chinese OEMs re-exporting to Russia via the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), with BYD, Chery, and Geely as primary beneficiaries.
In Q1 2026, China's auto exports reached 1.26 million units, up 24.5% YoY, surpassing Japan (~1.18M) for the first time to become the world's largest auto exporter. Chery led with 390K units, followed by BYD and Geely. NEV export share rose to 34.8%, with Central Asia, Middle East, and Europe contributing over 60% of incremental volume.
The Jan-Apr 2026 Chinese independent OEM sales top 5 is out: BYD leads with 1.194M units, Chery rises to 2nd with 786K (boosted by exports), Changan 3rd at 732K. Geely and Great Wall round out the top 5 at 621K and 418K respectively. NEV penetration rate has become the decisive ranking variable.
In 2026, Chery and BYD are fiercely contesting the "Chinese Auto Overseas Sales Champion" title. Chery leverages its global product matrix and first-mover advantage in RHD markets to spread wide; BYD builds brand recognition in mature markets through NEV technology depth and premium positioning. The Q1 gap narrowed to under 30,000 units, leaving the annual crown highly uncertain. This article breaks down the duel across sales structure, market layout, and product strategy.
Since October 2025, Russia raised vehicle scrappage tax by 70-85%, pushing combined tax burden past 50% for some models. This policy combo is reshaping China's auto export landscape to Russia. This article breaks down the policy impact chain, analyzes localization breakthrough paths by Great Wall, Chery, and Geely, and evaluates supply chain risks and opportunities for overseas buyers tracking the Russian market.
Chery Automobile has officially acquired Nissan's Rosslyn plant in Pretoria, South Africa, accelerating its African market layout. Meanwhile, the Vietnam plant's initial capacity of 30,000-60,000 units is about to start production, and the Turkey Samsun plant is expected to commence operations in Q4. Chery's overseas factory output in 2026 will total approximately 350,000 units, with a global manufacturing network taking shape.
Chery Automobile and Japanese automotive giant AUTOBACS have formed a joint venture to produce and sell pure electric vehicles in Japan. Headquartered in Singapore with Chery holding 26.91%, this marks another Chinese OEM entering the world's fourth-largest auto market through localized partnership after BYD. BYD sold 4,536 NEVs in Japan in 2025, while Zeekr and GAC Aion also plan summer 2026 entry.
In April 2026, China's automobile exports reached 901,000 units, surging 74.4% year-over-year, providing strong support to the overall market. Chery, BYD, and SAIC ranked top three in exports, while Geely's export volume soared 210% YoY. CAAM noted that with domestic sales down 2.5%, exports have become the core growth engine for Chinese automakers.
The outbreak of the Iran war in early 2026 disrupted Strait of Hormuz shipping, sending global oil prices to four-year highs. This energy shock unexpectedly fueled a surge in demand for Chinese new energy vehicles across Europe — in March 2026 alone, China's auto exports to Europe reached 160,000 units, with EVs jumping 141% year-on-year. BYD, Chery, and Geely have become the new choices for European consumers seeking alternatives to traditional fuel vehicles.
In 2026, Chinese automakers' overseas sales targets have reached a new milestone. Chery aims for 3.2 million total units with 1.5-1.6 million overseas; BYD targets 1.3 million overseas, likely approaching 1.5 million in reality; SAIC Group's overseas target is also 1.5 million units. All three stand at the same starting line, but the decisive factors will be localized production capacity, supply chain expansion, and brand building capabilities.
In Q1 2026, Russia reclaimed its position as China's top auto export destination with 186,800 units, up 97.1% year-on-year. This strong rebound marks Chinese OEMs' transition in the Russian market from an "inventory clearance" phase to "structural recovery." Brazil followed with 166,800 units, surging 242.8% year-on-year. Chery, GWM, and Geely are transforming Russia's trade barriers into drivers for localized upgrades through KD assembly and local partnerships.
January-April 2026 Chinese domestic brand sales rankings are in. BYD leads with a staggering 1.387 million units, nearly equaling the combined sales of ranks two through five. Geely holds second place with 672,000 units, followed by Chery (584,000), Changan (519,000), and GWM (396,000). NEV penetration rates vary dramatically among the five—BYD achieves 100%, while GWM sits at just 23.8%.
Azerbaijan's government has formally released the "2030 Transportation Electrification Roadmap," targeting 15% EV share of new vehicle sales by 2030. The roadmap explicitly designates Chinese automakers as strategic procurement priority partners, backed by charging infrastructure deployment, tax incentives, and financial stimulus packages.
Chery has completed the first Tiggo 8 Pro roll-off at its new Almaty, Kazakhstan plant, with a planned annual capacity of 100,000 units. This represents Chery's largest vehicle manufacturing base in Central Asia, marking the operational phase of Chinese OEM localization in the region.
The Kyrgyz government has extended the transit tariff exemption for Chinese new energy vehicles through end of 2027. This policy continuation provides Chinese automakers with a two-year institutional buffer for routing electric vehicles through Kyrgyzstan to Central Asian and Russian markets, while activating the country's commercial value as a regional logistics hub.
Russia has announced a further 15% increase in import vehicle scrappage tax, adding to accumulated hikes since 2023. Faced with mounting cost pressure, leading Chinese automakers are accelerating their shift from budget volume models to high-value vehicle exports, while exploring KD assembly and localization routes to mitigate tax burdens.
In May 2026, Chinese brand vehicle sales in Russia rose 8% month-over-month, ending a three-month consecutive decline. Haval and Chery led the rebound, driven by systematic adjustments in product mix, channel strategy, and pricing mechanisms.
In May 2026, China's new energy vehicle exports to Central Asia jumped 62% YoY to a record high. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan led the growth, driven by policy incentives and surging market demand.
The Kazakh government officially extended zero import duties on electric vehicles through end-2028, alongside a charging infrastructure subsidy program. This policy will directly reduce Chinese EV prices in Kazakhstan by 15-20%, potentially pushing annual imports past 200,000 units.
The Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV achieved 3,086 orders in its first week in Russia, setting a record for Chinese PHEV single-week orders. Cold-climate adaptation and long range became key selling points.
In April 2025, Russia's new vehicle sales grew 15.1% year-on-year, continuing a steady recovery trend. Chinese brands now command over 50% of the market share as their operating models transition from pure CBU exports to localized KD assembly. This report analyzes the drivers behind the market recovery and offers practical advice on localization and payment settlements for exporters.
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