Leapmotor leveraged Stellantis Group's dealer network to rapidly expand in Europe, with EU registrations surging 500% year-over-year to 28,000 units in the first four months of 2026. The T03 model's price dropped to €4,900 in Italy, making it the country's best-selling electric vehicle.
China's NEV passenger vehicle sales for May 2026 are in. BYD leads with 321,000 units, followed by Geely at 96,000 and Changan at 65,000. Leapmotor delivered 57,000 units, surpassing Tesla (55,000) for the first time. Li Auto (39,000), Chery (34,000), XPeng (26,000), NIO (20,500), and Xiaomi (19,000) form the mid-tier cluster.
Chinese EV companies are penetrating the European market through differentiated paths. BYD builds locally in Hungary, SAIC acquires brands for channel access, Chery pursues joint ventures, and Leapmotor leverages Stellantis' global distribution network. In 2025, China's auto imports to the EU surged over 30% YoY, exceeding 1 million units for the first time. Tesla's EU sales fell 37.9% to 150,000 units in 2025 but rebounded nearly 60% to 57,000 in Q1 2026.
Chinese NEV makers are pursuing diversified strategies in Europe. BYD leads with PHEV models like Seal U; Leapmotor leverages its Stellantis partnership with EU registrations surging 500%+ to 28,000 units in Jan-Apr 2026; SAIC and Chery adopt fuel-plus-electric approaches. Yet EU anti-subsidy investigations and rising tariff barriers are narrowing the policy window.
Leapmotor debuted the D99 interior and core specifications at the 2026 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Auto Show. Positioned as a mid-to-large MPV, the D99 is developed on a 1000V high-voltage platform and offers both EREV and pure-electric powertrain options. The vehicle exceeds 5.2 meters in length with a 3.18-meter wheelbase, featuring a 2+2+3 seven-seat layout and zero-gravity aviation seats in the second row.
In Q1 2026, Leapmotor's export volume reached 40,000 units, up 442% year-over-year, making it the fastest-growing NEV export brand among Chinese new forces. However, behind the rapid scale expansion, gross margin fell from 13.2% in Q1 last year to 9.4%, raising market concerns about the sustainability of the "volume-for-price" model.
On May 18, Leapmotor released interior images of its first MPV, the D99. Built on the LEAP 4.0 architecture with BEV and EREV options and dual-chamber air suspension + CDC, it is expected to launch mid-year.
April 2026 EV delivery data shows NEV market penetration has exceeded 60%. Leapmotor leads with a record 71,387 units, Xiaomi maintains a volume above 30,000, and brands like Arcfox and Voyah show significant year-over-year growth.
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