China’s largest new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer BYD Auto has reported a 17% rise in global sales to 463,561 units in September 2026, marking the fifth consecutive month of growth for the company following eight months of sharp decline. Last month’s growth followed an average 20% increase in the previous two months, as overseas sales continued to surge – offsetting continued weak demand and fast-rising competition in China.
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Domestic sales fell by 13% year-on-year to 282,861 units in September, while overseas sales of passenger vehicles and pickup trucks surged by 154% to 180,700 vehicles.
In the first nine months of 2026, BYD sold a total of 3,131,576 vehicles globally, down by 4% from last year’s 3,260,146 units, with domestic sales plunging by 33% to 1,788,616 units while overseas sales surged by 92% to 1,342,960 units to account for 43% of total vehicle sales, after having grown by 134% to 697,072 units previously.
Global sales of passenger and pickup battery electric vehicles (BEV) rose by 1.5% to 1,629,957 units year-to-date, while sales of passenger and pickup plug-in-hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) fell by 10% to 1,448,587 units. Commercial vehicle sales rose by over 28% to 53,032 units in this period.
BYD this year has been switching its products to its second-generation Blade Battery, which features flash-charging capabilities. The transition has caused some production bottlenecks in recent months, according to local reports.
BYD has set a target of further increasing its overseas sales to 2.5 million vehicles in 2027, up from an expected 2.0 million units in 2026, helped by an expanded shipping fleet and rising overseas production, with the company’s plant in Hungary scheduled to become operational in the fourth quarter of 2026.
