BYD, China’s largest new energy vehicle (NEV) maker, reported its August 2025 delivery results.
The company sold 373,626 NEVs, an increase of less than 1% compared to the same time last year. This marks the second consecutive month that BYD’s year-on-year NEV sales growth has been below 1%.
While total sales growth was stagnant, a deeper look at the numbers reveals a significant shift in consumer preference. Here’s a breakdown of the key factors:
– Plug-in hybrids are losing steam: Sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) were 171,916 units, down by over 22% compared to August of last year. This is the fifth straight month of a year-on-year decline for this category, despite a slight bump in sales from July.
– Battery electric vehicles are on the rise: In contrast, sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are booming. The company sold 199,585 passenger BEVs in August, a jump of over 34% year-on-year. This indicates a clear trend of consumers favoring fully electric cars over hybrids.
– Commercial vehicles are struggling: Sales of commercial NEVs were 2,125 units in August, falling nearly 35% from the previous month and almost 5% from the previous year.
Despite the slowdown at home, BYD’s international sales continue to soar. The company sold over 80,000 NEVs overseas in August, a massive increase of nearly 157% compared to the previous year.
The Year So Far
Despite the slower July, BYD’s year-to-date performance remains robust. From January to August, the company sold 2,863,876 NEVs, a solid 23% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
– Total Passenger NEVs: 2,825,802 units, up 22%.
– Total Commercial NEVs: 38,074 units, a massive increase of 294.5%.
– Total Overseas Sales: 625,816 units, up 136.27%.
– BEV vs. PHEV: Year-to-date, PHEV sales still hold a slight lead over BEVs (1,424,949 vs. 1,400,853), though the gap is narrowing rapidly.
