acf domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/ecg/ecgassociationdev/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121Automotive News Europe — 2026-07-21
Automotive Industry
Chinese brands captured a record 10.9 percent share of Europe’s new-car market in June, with sales surging 118 percent to 150,272 as plug-in hybrids and full hybrids drove growth.
Plug-in hybrids and full hybrids exported to Europe from China are not subject to the European Union’s extra tariffs on full-electric vehicles.
SAIC and BYD are locked in a tight race for leadership among Chinese automakers.
SAIC, which makes the MG brand, had a slim 340-unit advantage at 38,640 sales (including a small number of Maxus brand vans), up 52 percent, while BYD reached 38,300, up 146 percent, according to preliminary figures from market researcher Dataforce covering 98 percent of the European Union, U.K. and EFTA markets.
Chery Group ranked third, with sales rising 262 percent to 35,228, closing the gap on the leaders.
Sweden still has to report its final figures for June, which means there could be changes in the ranking of the brands.
ales of Leapmotor, Stellantis’ joint-venture partner, increased 566 percent to 12,714 sales, with Leapmotor continuing to rank ahead of Geely Group, which was up 44 percent to 11,873 sales. Geely has recently launched its namesake brand in Europe; the brand’s sales in June were 3,837 compared with 220 a year earlier.
In June, sales of Chinese brands reached a record for both volume and share. Their sales increased by 118 percent to 150,272, in a total market that grew by 13 percent to 1.38 million. The previous record was in March 2026, in which they had 149,094 sales.
Chinese brands’ 10.9 percent market share in June was up from 10.7 percent compared with May and nearly double the 5.7 percent share a year earlier.
Full hybrids are fastest-growing powertrain among Chinese models
Full hybrids were the fastest-growing powertrain for Chinese vehicles in Europe, with sales up by 246 percent in June to 33,624, followed by plug-in hybrids, which were up by 213 percent to 47,241.
Battery-electric vehicles accounted for 35 percent of Chinese brand sales and plug-in hybrids 31 percent, while a year ago the figures were 38 percent and 22 percent, respectively. BEVs regained a small advantage on PHEVs in June because in May they were distanced by just one percentage point.
Plug-in and full hybrids avoid the extra tariffs that the EU imposed on Chinese battery-electric and extended-range vehicles in November 2024. The EU is considering extending those tariffs, which reach a maximum of 35.3 percent on top of the standard 10 percent, to plug-in hybrids.
The BYD Atto 2 small SUV led Chinese models for the second straight month with 12,196 sales, as well as remaining the bestselling plug-in hybrid overall with 10,402 sales. The Atto 2 also ranked seventh overall in the small SUV segment.
The Leapmotor T03 minicar was the bestselling Chinese BEV with 5,887 sales and the No. 10-selling electric car overall. It also ranked third overall in the minicar segment.
Chinese brands continued to dominate plug-in hybrid sales: the BYD Atto 2 led, followed by the BYD Seal U in second place, Chery’s Jaecoo 7 sas fourth and MG HS was ninth.
MG leads BYD and Chery in tight year-to-date race
Despite BYD’s potential breakthrough to reach No. 1 for Chinese brands in Europe in June, the three-automaker race for the overall lead remains tight .
MG continues to lead with 180,015 sales, up 18 percent. BYD, up 145 percent, with 172,628 units ranked second, ahead of Chery Group, up 303 percent to 169,727 (a figure that includes Chery models assembled in Spain and sold under the Ebro brand).
The three automakers covered 76 percent of Chinese sales in Europe in the period and 75 percent of their total volume growth.
Chinese automakers’ sales from January to June increased 101 percent to 685,990 vehicles in a market that grew 5.9 percent to 7.2 million vehicles, boosting their share to 9.5 percent from 5 percent a year earlier.
In the first half, Chinese sales in Europe represented 84 percent of their 812,452 total sales in the entire year 2025.