- China’s EV challengers hit new sales milestones despite a weak seasonal market
- Geely’s Zeekr and overseas sales drive growth as competition intensifies
Leapmotor and Geely Auto Group both reported July delivery figures on August 1-2, highlighting the widening scale of China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) expansion.
Leapmotor delivered 101,267 vehicles in July, surpassing the 100,000-unit monthly mark for the first time and becoming the first Chinese EV startup to reach the milestone.
Deliveries more than doubled year-on-year, rising 102%.
“From 879 units a month to 100,000, it took us six years,” Leapmotor founder Zhu Jiangming said in a video speech celebrating the milestone. “Something we once couldn’t imagine has become reality.”
The company has built a product lineup spanning four series — A, B, C and D — covering price ranges from 60,000 yuan ($8,888) to 300,000 yuan.
Its overseas expansion also accelerated in July, with the company completing local certification in Mexico and beginning deliveries there.
It also signed partnerships with organizations including the German Table Tennis Association and National Pickleball League Australia.
Zeekr leading the pack
Geely reported total July sales of 250,161 vehicles, up 5% year-on-year. Its premium EV brand Zeekr delivered 35,837 units, a record high and an increase of 111% from a year earlier, making it the strongest growth driver within Geely’s new energy portfolio.
Geely’s Galaxy brand delivered 107,797 vehicles, up 13%, while Lynk & Co faced downward pressure, with July sales falling 40% year-on-year.
Exports remained a bright spot. Geely shipped 106,663 vehicles overseas in July, up 202% year-on-year, marking the second consecutive month with exports exceeding 100,000 units.
Total exports for the first seven months reached 580,891 vehicles, up 165%.
Low sales season
The milestones came as China’s auto market entered its traditional low season. The China Passenger Car Association expects retail sales of narrow passenger vehicles in July to fall 16.8% year-on-year to about 1.52 million units.
Leapmotor’s breakthrough signals that Chinese EV startups are moving beyond early growth phases and entering a new stage of mass-market scale.
Its vertically integrated technology strategy and high-spec, cost-competitive products have helped it establish a replicable volume model.
Increasingly attainable milestone
For global automakers, Zeekr’s monthly sales of more than 35,000 vehicles demonstrate that Chinese EV brands are increasingly capable of competing in higher price segments.
At the same time, Leapmotor’s Mexico entry highlights a broader overseas push.
As 100,000-unit monthly deliveries become increasingly attainable for more Chinese brands, the balance of power in the global EV market may be entering a new phase.
