In 2024, China maintained its position as the world’s largest automotive market. Chinese consumers purchased a total of 27,563,000 passenger cars, a 5.8% increase from 2023. Overall market sales, including commercial vehicles, reached 31,436,000 units, reflecting a 4.5% growth.
China also dominated the global market for new energy vehicles (NEVs). NEV sales, encompassing electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), reached 12,866,000 units, a substantial 35.5% increase. This segment accounted for 40% of China’s total vehicle sales. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) constituted 60% of NEV sales in China, with PHEVs making up the remaining 40%.
This growth is evident in the top 10 best-selling automotive brands in China for 2024. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), BYD, a brand exclusively offering electric and PHEV models, led the market with sales of 3,524,482 units, representing a 38.6% increase and capturing a 15.34% market share.
BYD topped the sales chart in China for 2024.
Volkswagen secured second place with sales of 2,072,259 units, translating to a 9.02% market share. In comparison to BYD, Volkswagen trailed by over 1 million units. Additionally, the German brand experienced a 7% sales decline compared to 2023.
Toyota, one of the world’s largest automotive brands, ranked third in the Chinese market. Their cumulative sales for 2024 reached 1,568,117 units, reflecting an 8.4% decrease and capturing a 6.82% market share. This performance can be partly attributed to Toyota’s lack of appealing electric vehicle offerings in China.
Domestic brand Geely claimed fourth place with sales of 987,464 units, representing a 19.4% increase and a 4.3% market share. Wuling, a subsidiary of SAIC-GM-Wuling, secured fifth place with sales of 920,728 units to Chinese consumers, resulting in a 4.01% market share.
Honda ranked sixth with a 3.84% market share. Chinese consumers purchased a total of 881,347 Honda vehicles in 2024, signifying a 26.7% decline. Honda was one of only two Japanese brands in the top 10, alongside Toyota.
Changan occupied seventh place with cumulative sales of 800,630 units, capturing a 3.48% market share. Chery, another Chinese brand, sold 708,647 units to Chinese customers in 2024, reflecting a 37.8% increase and a 3.08% market share.
Tesla, the sole brand in the top 10 exclusively selling battery-electric vehicles, ranked ninth with sales of 657,102 units, equivalent to a 2.86% market share. Tesla also stood as the sole representative of the American automotive industry in this elite group. Their performance is particularly impressive considering they offered only two models in China compared to BYD’s 26 models.
BMW rounded out the top 10. In 2024, BMW sold 607,820 vehicles to Chinese customers, a 13.1% decrease. BMW was one of the few luxury brands in this ranking and the sole German representative among the top 10. Its domestic rivals, Audi and Mercedes-Benz, ranked lower at 12th and 13th, respectively.
| Rank | Brand | Sales (Units) | Market Share |
| 1 | BYD | 3,524,482 | 15.34% |
Top 10 Best-Selling Automotive Brands in China in 2024
The above rankings highlight BYD’s significant lead over its competitors. Additionally, Chinese consumers demonstrated a strong preference for domestic brands, with five Chinese automotive brands in the top 10: BYD, Geely, Wuling, Changan, and Chery.
Notably, emerging new energy vehicle brands that have garnered significant attention, such as Li Auto, Aito, Aion, Leap, NIO, Xpeng, and Xiaomi, did not crack the top 10. Li Auto ranked 14th, followed by Aito at 15th, Aion at 20th, Leap at 22nd, NIO at 26th, Xpeng at 29th, and Xiaomi at 34th. Xiaomi, a newcomer to the Chinese automotive industry in 2024 with its inaugural SU7 model, currently offers only two vehicles: the SU7 and YU7.
According to CAAM, China achieved a record production volume of 31,282,000 vehicles in 2024, marking a 3.7% increase. Specifically, NEV production surpassed 10 million units, reaching 12,888,000 vehicles, a 34.4% increase. Of these, 1,284,000 NEVs were exported, reflecting a 6.7% growth in overseas shipments.
Top 10 Best-Selling Models in China in 2024
As predicted, a BYD model topped the sales chart in China for 2024. The BYD Song found favor with Chinese customers, resulting in sales of 574,351 units and a remarkable 45.3% growth.
Tesla’s Model Y secured second place with sales of 480,309 units, a modest 5.2% increase. It is one of only two Tesla models currently available in the Chinese market, alongside the Model 3.
The BYD Qin Plus claimed third place with sales of 480,025 units, a 10.6% increase over the previous year. Closely following the Qin Plus was another BYD model, the Seagull. This affordable electric vehicle recorded cumulative sales of 453,593 units in 2024, an impressive 89.6% growth.
The Nissan Sylphy ranked fifth with sales of 342,395 units, a 9.5% decline. Volkswagen’s Lavida followed closely with sales of 322,933 units, a 6.6% decrease compared to 2023.
Toyota’s Corolla also experienced a sales dip, with 282,433 units sold in China last year, reflecting a 13.5% decline.
Contrary to the success of other BYD models, the Yuan Plus faced a challenging year in the domestic market, with sales decreasing by 11.2% to 275,223 units.
The Wuling Hongguang Mini EV ranked ninth with sales of 261,141 units, a 9.8% increase. It retained its position as Wuling’s best-selling model in China, underscoring its enduring appeal among cost-conscious consumers.
Lastly, the Volkswagen Passat concluded the top 10 with a 25.4% growth rate. Volkswagen sold 254,103 Passat units in China in 2024.
| Rank | Model | Sales (Units) | Growth/Decline |
| 1 | BYD Song | 574,351 | +45.3% |
Top 10 Best-Selling Models in China in 2024
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