Chinese automakers sold more cars in Europe than Renault and Audi in August, boosted by strong plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sales, according to data from JATO Dynamics.
Models from BYD, Jaecoo, and MG were among the top ten PHEV sellers, underscoring the growing presence of Chinese brands in the region.
Chinese carmakers recorded a combined market share of 5.5% in August, with over 43,500 vehicles sold, up 121% from the same month last year.
This exceeded Audi’s 41,300 units and Renault’s 37,800 units. PHEV sales across 28 European countries rose 59% to nearly 84,000 vehicles, with Chinese PHEVs jumping fourteen-fold to 11,000 units.
BYD’s Seal U, Chery’s Jaecoo J7, and SAIC’s MG HS were among the region’s ten best-selling PHEVs. Tesla’s Model Y remained Europe’s top battery-electric vehicle (BEV), though its sales fell 37% year-on-year despite overall BEV sales rising 27%, outpacing total market growth of 5%.
“There was strong demand for BEVs in August, however a 27% increase is less significant than it looks when you consider how widely they are being promoted,” said Felipe Munoz, analyst at JATO Dynamics.
Chinese automakers are increasingly exporting PHEVs and HEVs to Europe and plan to build more models locally to mitigate the impact of European Union tariffs on Chinese-made EVs.
BYD announced last year that it would start selling PHEVs in Europe and plans to produce all its European EVs locally by 2028.