BYD Rolls Out 13 Millionth EV, Cements Global NEV Leadership

Chinese automaker BYD marked a major industry milestone earlier this week as its 13-millionth new energy vehicle (NEV) — the high-end Yangwang U7 luxury sedan — rolled off the production line at its Shenzhen facility.  

With this, BYD becomes the first carmaker globally to cross the 13-million NEV mark, setting a new benchmark in the rapidly evolving electric vehicle (EV) space, the company said.

In the first half of 2025, BYD maintained strong sales momentum. The company sold over 2.113 million vehicles in China between January and June, up 31.5 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, overseas sales surged by 128.5 percent to reach 472,000 units during the same period, reinforcing BYD’s position as the top-selling NEV brand globally.

The Yangwang brand, BYD’s premium division, is playing a key role in the company’s climb into the high-end EV segment. 

“YANGWANG’s continuous breakthroughs not only mark a historic leap for Chinese brands in the high-end automotive sector but also demonstrate the strong competitiveness and industrial confidence of Chinese automakers in the new energy era,” the company stated.

International Expansion Gains Pace — But India Remains a Challenge

BYD’s overseas growth is being driven by aggressive expansion into Europe and Southeast Asia. 

However, in India, the automaker’s premium offerings, such as the Atto 3 and Seal, remain a niche segment, particularly when compared to Tata’s INR 10 lakh Nexon EV or MG’s sub-INR 25 lakh models. In 2024, BYD sold only around 2,400 vehicles in India, a minor share in a market dominated by Tata, which commands over 70 percent of EV sales.

Analysts point to factors like high pricing and the company’s reliance on CKD (completely knocked down) imports assembled near Chennai as key barriers to scaling volumes in India.

Navigating a Crowded Market

BYD’s achievements come at a time when China’s NEV market faces intensifying competition, overcapacity, and price wars. A recent report by consulting firm AlixPartners revealed that only 15 of the 129 EV and plug-in hybrid brands currently operating in China are expected to be financially viable by 2030.

BYD is already one of the few profitable players among them. In fact, it is one of just two publicly listed Chinese EV makers to post full-year profitability. Analysts expect these 15 surviving brands to control nearly 75 percent of China’s NEV market by the end of the decade.