BYD Sales Fall in February as Geely Retakes Top Spot in China EV Market

China’s electric vehicle market saw a shift in February as BYD experienced a sharp sales decline while Geely Auto moved back into the top position. New data showed BYD deliveries falling significantly compared with last year, allowing Geely’s combined brands to take the lead for the second consecutive month in the country’s highly competitive EV market.

The results come after BYD closed 2025 with record performance, highlighting how quickly China’s EV rankings can change from month to month.

Geely group brands move ahead in China EV race

BYD reported 190,190 vehicles sold in February, representing a 41.1% decline compared with the same month last year. Sales were also 9.5% lower than January, reflecting a softer start to 2026.

While the drop appears dramatic, the Chinese New Year holiday period often disrupts production and deliveries across the industry, contributing to lower monthly totals, according to CarUp.

During the same period, Geely Auto and its affiliated brands, including Galaxy, Zeekr, and Lynk & Co, collectively delivered 206,160 vehicles in February. That performance allowed the group to remain ahead of BYD in China for the second consecutive month.

Geely’s results were supported by strong export growth as well. The company reported its overseas shipments rising by 138% year over year, highlighting expanding demand outside China.

BYD export growth helps offset domestic slowdown

Despite the domestic slowdown, BYD continued to see momentum in international markets. The automaker exported more than 100,000 vehicles for the fourth consecutive month, representing roughly 50% growth compared with the previous year.

Exports are increasingly important to BYD’s strategy as it expands sales across Europe, Southeast Asia, and other global markets.

The broader competitive landscape in China’s EV sector also reflects the rapid growth of multiple domestic brands. Companies such as Geely are pushing aggressively into premium and performance segments through sub-brands like Zeekr and Lynk & Co.

Meanwhile, Volvo Cars, partially owned by Geely, reported weaker results globally, with sales declining by just over 22% in February.

If BYD’s domestic slowdown continues while competitors gain ground, the shift could also influence the global EV leaderboard. Some analysts suggest that changing sales momentum could potentially reopen the race for the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer.

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