BYD Seagull sales soar in China’s EV market
03 October 2024
The BYD Seagull flew up China’s electric vehicle (EV) best-sellers list in August. But how did other models perform? José Pontes, data director at EV Volumes, reviews the market with Autovista24 editor Tom Geggus.
The Chinese EV market recorded year-on-year growth of 38% in August, with one million registrations. However, the overall market fell by 1%, recording around 1.9 million deliveries. EVs, therefore, made up 54% of the new-car market, with battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) alone accounting for 31% of the total.
EV growth was driven by plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) which saw registrations jump by 78% to 442,000 units. This was the powertrain’s third record month in a row. Meanwhile, BEV deliveries were up 19% to 583,000 units. This meant all-electric powertrains accounted for 57% of the plug-in market.
Between January and August, China recorded 6.2 million EV registrations, up from the 4.7 million units seen 12 months ago. This puts the plug-in market share at 46%, with BEVs making up 26% overall. Both results marked an improvement against the first eight months of last year, from 35% for EVs and 24% for all-electric models.
BYD Seagull takes flight
The top six spots in China’s overall new-car market were taken up by plug-in models in August. The Volkswagen (VW) Lavida was the country’s best-selling internal-combustion engine (ICE) model in seventh, at 28,542 units.
Six of the top 10 EVs all came from BYD. This demonstrates the ongoing effectiveness of the carmaker’s price cuts, against both its plug-in and ICE competition.
With 59,087 sales, the BYD Song was once again the uncontested leader of the Chinese automotive market. A total of 15,032 of these units were fitted with a BEV powertrain.
The model kept a good distance ahead of its closest competitors, such as the Tesla Model Y. The Song’s continued success will depend upon its competition, particularly from within BYD. This includes the Song L, the Sea Lion 07 and the Denza N7.
The BYD Seagull flew into second place with a record 46,830 registrations. While some production is diverted to export markets, local demand still seems to be growing. With greater export potential than the regular Song, the Seagull could become BYD’s leading model worldwide soon.
In third, the Tesla Model Y recorded 45,330 registrations, the crossover’s best result so far this year. The BEV continues to stay relevant in the Chinese market, which is no small feat considering the domination of local brands.
The Tesla Model Y and its Model 3 sibling were the only non-native models in China’s top 20 EV chart in August. Looking ahead, models such as the Nio Onvo L60 and the Xpeng Mona M03 could provide some competition.
New record for BYD Qin Plus
The BYD Qin Plus came fourth in August with 42,765 registrations. A record number (26,093 units) were fitted with a BEV powertrain. Increasing demand for this all-electric version is compensating for a downturn in PHEV interest.
The BYD Qin L finished fifth, with a record 35,957 registrations. The model managed to achieve this total without severely impacting sales of the regular Qin Plus. This continues the carmaker’s run of success in the country.
With six of the top seven positions, BYD also saw the Destroyer 05 finish 11th, the Yuan Up take 12th, and the Song L in 14th. Additionally, the Dolphin ended the month 16th and the Han in 19th. This means there were 11 models from the carmaker in the top 20. Six of these sat within the midsize category.
Meanwhile, the Wuling Mini EV jumped to eighth in August with 26,461 units, the EV’s best result since February 2023. The larger Bingo also managed a new record, with 22,185 sales in the month. The Tesla Model 3 finished 13th with 18,126 units. This could be a sign buyers in China are warming to the refreshed model.
The Aito M9 was also on the rise, taking 15th with 16,955 deliveries. A total of 1,188 units were fitted with a BEV powertrain. The new flagship is likely to become a frequent fixture in the top 20 table.
Impressive results
Outside the top 20, Chery’s Fengyun T9 PHEV recorded 8,856 sales during August. This was an impressive result for the model in only its fourth month on the market.
Geely saw its new Galaxy E5 crossover reach 12,227 deliveries in its first full month. This is a very successful landing, indicating the compact EV could be a new star for the brand. Not only did it secure a place in the top 20 on its first attempt, it also beat some BYD models. Meanwhile, the Panda Mini saw 11,122 sales, a new best.
Leapmotor’s C16 hit a record 8,032 units, while the midsize C11 (6,878 units) and the compact C10 (6,554) also posted positive numbers. This makes Leapmotor one of the most promising EV companies in China.
Looking at foreign OEMs, the only highlight was the VW ID.3, which had a year-best score of 9,468 units.
A segmented view
EVs occupied the top-three spots across all vehicle segments and powertrains in August, with the exception of the C-segment. This was the only grouping where ICE models were still present.
BYD led the A-segment in the month. However, its focus appeared to be set on the D-segment, as it lost its grip in other areas.
The Wuling Bingo profited from BYD’s targeted approach to take the top spot in the B-segment. The Aito M9 rose to the top of the full-size category, ahead of the BYD Han.
Few changes so far this year
There were a few changes in the top 20 across the first eight months of 2024. The BYD Song, BYD Qin Plus and Tesla Model Y continued to dominate the top three.
Changes only took place lower down the table, with the Li Auto L6 jumping three positions to 16th. The midsize SUV is likely to leap even higher in the coming months, with its sights set on the top half of the table.
The new BYD Qin L joined the 2024 table in 17th and is likely to improve by several positions in the coming months. It can be expected to finish the year inside the top 10.
