With the “Golden September and Silver October” sales season underway, how did the leading NEV sedans perform?
BYD once again swept the top three spots in China’s September NEV sedan sales rankings, with the Qin PLUS, Seal 06, and Qin L firmly holding the lead.
The Qin L, with 27,382 units sold, outperformed the fourth-placed Tesla Model 3 by 7,030 units.
Aside from BYD’s lineup, other consistent performers remained on the list, including Xpeng M03, Xiaomi SU7, and Leapmotor B01.
Chery’s Fengyun A9L, however, slipped out of the top 10 in its second month on the market, selling 10,007 units and finishing 11th—just 11 cars behind Geely’s Galaxy Star 8, which ranked 10th.
Some automakers, including BYD, appear to have anticipated new government rules on NEV purchase tax incentives released in mid-October, which tighten the pure-electric range requirements for plug-in hybrids, leading several brands to enhance their EV range across models in September and October.
With the “Golden September and Silver October” sales season underway, how did the leading NEV sedans perform?
No. 1 BYD Qin PLUS: 39,132 units
BYD’s Qin PLUS remained China’s top-selling NEV sedan in September, with 39,132 units sold, up 9.3% month-on-month.
Compared with the same month last year, sales rose slightly by 258 units—virtually flat year-on-year—but marked a notable recovery from August’s 16.3% decline.
On September 25, BYD launched three new “Advance” trims of the Qin PLUS.
The DM-i hybrid version added a 128 km pure-electric range model priced at RMB 79,800—the same as the 55 km version—while pure-electric models gained 420 km and 510 km “Advance” trims priced from RMB 89,800 to RMB 99,800 ($12600-14000), around RMB 20,000 cheaper than comparable “Leading” trims.
These moves position the “Advance” trims as the new core offerings, likely in anticipation of the new Ministry of Industry and Information Technology regulation requiring plug-in hybrids to achieve at least 100 km of electric range from 2026.
No. 2 BYD Seal 06: 27,459 units
Narrowly beating the Qin L by just 77 units, the BYD Seal 06 took second place in September with 27,459 units sold.
Sales rose 12.8% month-on-month but dropped 26.1% year-on-year—an improvement from August’s 39.1% decline.
BYD has relied on OTA updates and model upgrades to strengthen the Seal 06’s competitiveness.
The September OTA update optimized map classification, improved radar stability, and added exterior voice alerts during parking assist.
Meanwhile, BYD’s Ocean Network division general manager Zhang Zhuo launched public polls about interior and exterior configurations for pure-electric coupes—signaling that the Seal 06 EV may soon receive a facelift.
No. 3 BYD Qin L: 27,382 units
The Qin L sold 27,382 units in September, up 7.9% from August but down 30.7% year-on-year.
The decline in year-on-year volume for several key BYD models reflects both product update cycles and intensified competition from value-oriented rivals such as Geely, Xpeng, and Leapmotor.
At the same time, BYD is accelerating overseas expansion.
The Qin L EV made its international debut in Malaysia in September, priced at MYR 100,000 ($23,600), marking BYD’s seventh model launch in the country.
No. 4 Tesla Model 3: 20,352 units
Tesla’s Model 3 recorded 20,352 sales in September, up 14.2% month-on-month but down 15.2% year-on-year—its year-on-year decline steeper than August’s.
The drop reflects mounting pressure from domestic competitors like Xiaomi’s SU7, which have quickly gained traction among performance EV buyers. Model 3’s limited design and technology upgrades since launch have also weighed on demand.
Globally, Tesla faces similar headwinds. On October 7, it introduced de-contented “Standard Range” versions of Model 3 and Model Y in the U.S., priced at $36,990 and $39,990, respectively, though their availability in China remains unconfirmed.
No. 5 Xiaomi SU7: 19,579 units
Xiaomi’s SU7 sold 19,579 units in September, down 1.4% month-on-month but up 44.4% year-on-year, still below its pre-August average of over 23,000 units.
The brand faced turbulence in mid-September after recalling 116,887 units of the SU7 Standard via an OTA update on September 19, addressing highway NOA (Navigation on Autopilot) issues with a new HyperOS 1.10.0 update.
For now, clearing existing orders remains Xiaomi Auto’s top priority. Whether the company can hit a monthly delivery record of 60,000 units by year-end remains to be seen.
No. 6 Xpeng M03: 14,424 units
The Xpeng M03 saw sales decline 5.9% month-on-month in September but grow 43.9% year-on-year.
Cumulative sales have reached 180,400 units, putting Xpeng within 20,000 units of the 200,000 milestone. At the current pace, the 200,000th M03 could roll off the line by mid-November.
Following strong results from the M03 and P7+, Xpeng is seeking to rebuild its premium segment presence. The Xpeng X9 range-extended version, recently spotted on test drives in Europe, may represent its next upward push.
No. 7 Geely Galaxy A7: 13,027 units
The Galaxy A7 maintained strong momentum with over 10,000 monthly sales for two consecutive months, rising further in September.
Priced from RMB 95,800 ($13,450), the A7’s lower trims already feature the Journey J6E and Longying chips, high-speed navigation assist, and a 15.6-inch infotainment screen—making it a cost-effective challenger to the BYD Qin L.
Backed by Geely’s extensive sales network, the Galaxy A7 combines aggressive pricing with richer specifications, helping it quickly capture market attention.
No. 8 BYD Seal 05 DM-i: 12,653 units
BYD’s Seal 05 DM-i sold 12,653 units in September, down 6.2% month-on-month but marking its fourth consecutive month above 10,000 units.
Launched in February, the plug-in sedan reached the 10,000-unit mark in five months and achieved 13,000 sales in August. September’s OTA update improved smart functions and user experience.
On October 11, BYD introduced the 2026 Seal 05 DM-i with a longer 128 km electric range (up from 55 km) and added 17 kW DC fast charging—at the same RMB 79,800 (11,200) price as the 2025 55 km Luxury trim.
No. 9 Leapmotor B01: 12,652 units
Leapmotor’s B01 sold 12,652 units in September, up 24.4% month-on-month, continuing its steady post-launch growth since June.
Building on the success of the C10 and C11, Leapmotor is again leveraging its strong value proposition, steadily narrowing the sales gap with Xpeng’s M03—a potential head-to-head showdown in sight.
While seeking breakthroughs with its premium D series, Leapmotor continues to rely on the mass-market B and C series as its sales foundation. Together, they helped the brand surpass 60,000 monthly deliveries in September.
No. 10 Geely Galaxy Starshine 8: 10,018 units
The Galaxy Starshine 8 maintained stable sales at just above 10,000 units, delivering 10,018 units in September—close to August’s 10,152.
However, despite the traditional “Golden September” peak season, month-on-month growth was limited. As year-end approaches, Geely may launch promotional campaigns to boost Starshine 8 sales.
Under China’s new NEV tax incentive rules set for 2026, the Starshine 8’s facelift could feature extended pure-electric range versions to meet the updated standards.
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