BYD sold 463,561 new energy vehicles (NEVs) in September 2026, marking its highest monthly sales total of the year as the Chinese automaker continued its recovery. Sales increased 16.98% year-over-year and 5.28% compared with August, extending the company’s year-over-year growth streak to five consecutive months.
The latest figures also point to a stronger third quarter for BYD, supported by record passenger battery-electric vehicle sales and a sharp increase in overseas deliveries. However, domestic sales remained below year-ago levels, while plug-in hybrid demand showed signs of weakness.
BYD Returns to Quarterly Sales Growth
BYD delivered 1,323,065 new energy vehicles in the third quarter of 2026, representing an 18.75% increase from the same period last year and a 19.41% improvement over the second quarter.
The result marks a significant shift for the automaker, which had experienced four consecutive quarters of year-over-year sales declines. Its recent monthly growth suggests that the business is gaining momentum after a difficult start to the year.
Despite the stronger third quarter, BYD’s performance for the first nine months remained slightly below 2025 levels. The company sold 3,131,576 NEVs between January and September, down 3.94% year-over-year. That narrowed the decline from 6.84% recorded during the first eight months.
September passenger NEV sales reached 456,713 units, up 16.19% annually and 5.38% from August. Commercial NEV sales totaled 6,848 units, surging 113.33% year-over-year, although they edged down 0.88% month-over-month.
BYD Electric Car Sales Reach a New Record
Battery-electric vehicles were a major contributor to BYD’s September growth.
The company sold a record 273,143 passenger battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) during the month, an increase of 33.21% compared with September 2025 and 6.60% over August.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) sales moved in the opposite direction. BYD delivered 183,570 passenger plug-in hybrids in September, down 2.36% year-over-year, ending a four-month streak of annual growth. However, sales still increased 3.62% compared with the previous month.
The contrasting results highlight a continued shift in BYD’s sales mix toward fully electric vehicles. BEVs accounted for 59.81% of passenger NEV sales in September, compared with 59.12% in August and 52.17% a year earlier.
The trend was also reflected in the company’s year-to-date results. BYD sold 1,629,957 passenger BEVs during the first nine months of 2026, up 1.50% year-over-year. This reversed the 3.14% decline recorded through August.
Passenger PHEV sales, meanwhile, fell 10.19% over the same nine-month period to 1,448,587 units.
Overseas Markets Help Offset Domestic Weakness
International expansion remained an important source of growth for BYD in September.
The automaker recorded 180,700 overseas sales during the month, an increase of 153.59% year-over-year. Deliveries were down 4.63% from August, but international demand continued to account for a substantially larger share of the company’s overall business than it did a year earlier.
Overseas sales represented 38.98% of BYD’s total NEV sales in September. That was below August’s 43.03%, but well above the 17.98% share recorded in September 2025.
The figures underline how international markets are helping BYD offset continued pressure at home. Domestic sales totaled 282,861 vehicles in September, down 12.97% year-over-year. However, they increased 12.77% from August, indicating an improvement in monthly performance.
Although the domestic market remained a challenge, the combination of rising overseas deliveries and stronger demand for battery-electric models helped lift BYD’s overall September results.
What BYD’s September Results Mean for 2026
BYD’s September sales report highlights two important developments: a recovery in overall deliveries and a growing contribution from fully electric passenger vehicles.
Record monthly BEV sales and accelerating overseas growth helped the company deliver its strongest monthly NEV total of 2026. The return to quarterly year-over-year growth also marks a change after a prolonged period of declining sales.
Nevertheless, the automaker still faces challenges. Year-to-date NEV sales remained below the previous year’s level, domestic deliveries continued to decline annually, and plug-in hybrid sales weakened in September.
The coming months will show whether BYD can sustain its recent momentum and turn its improving monthly performance into full-year growth. For now, September’s results suggest that international expansion and stronger battery-electric vehicle demand are playing an increasingly important role in the company’s recovery.
