In October, Wuling’s small NEVs thrived, with Hongguang MINI EV sales surging, but competition intensifies among emerging models.
For Wuling, the October small NEV market became a field of abundant harvest.
The Hongguang MINI EV exceeded 60,000 sales and topped the national chart, while the newly released Bingo S landed directly in fifth place with 17,000 units sold. Whether in the A00 or A0 segment, Wuling recorded standout results.
Behind Wuling, however, the battlefield remained fiercely competitive, especially in the A0 class.
With the launch of the Bingo S, the new MG4, the Arcfox T1, and Leapmotor A10 preparing to enter the market, familiar players such as the Geely Xingyuan, BYD Seagull, and BYD Dolphin experienced temporary declines in October.
Competition in small NEVs will continue to intensify. As national subsidies and purchase tax reductions scale back, brands will face an era that tests resilience and product strength more rigorously.
On the eve of the major battle, how welcoming is this increasingly crowded market to newcomers? And are Wuling’s competitors feeling pressure from MINI EV’s surging sales? Let’s take a look.
No. 1 Wuling Hongguang MINI EV: 61,506 units
The Wuling Hongguang MINI EV continued to claim the overall sales crown in China’s automotive market in October.
The model achieved remarkable momentum: 37,828 units in August, 51,743 in September, and 61,506 in October, with cumulative sales exceeding 1.8 million units by the end of the month.
Among the 172,000 wholesale A00-class vehicles sold in October, the MINI EV contributed 61,119 units—meaning that one out of every three A00-class cars sold was a Hongguang MINI EV.
An affordable price and the introduction of the four-door version significantly expanded usability, supported by the rush effect triggered by local subsidy deadlines.
Will 60,000 units become the ceiling for the MINI EV?
No. 2 Geely Xingyuan: 44,239 units
Compared with September, Geely Xingyuan’s sales fell about 8% month-on-month in October—the first decline since January.
The fluctuation likely stems from the model transition between outgoing and new versions.
On October 10, the 2026 Xingyuan launched without the typical “price-cut plus upgrades” strategy. Instead, capacity improvements were made while maintaining price stability, prompting consumer hesitation.
Meanwhile, competition has intensified with new players such as the MG4 and Arcfox T1 dividing consumer attention. Still, with model transition complete, sales are expected to rebound.
No. 3 BYD Seagull: 24,706 units
BYD Seagull continued its downward trend, selling 24,706 units in October, down 2.2% month-on-month and 51.8% year-on-year.
Note that 24,706 units represent retail sales. The wholesale figure was 36,604 units, up 5.8% month-on-month.
Despite persistent retail declines, BYD did not introduce policy adjustments for Seagull. On October 21, two dual-tone color options were released—Peach Pink/Seagull White and Arctic Blue/Obsidian Black.
With national price war rhetoric shifting and new regulations coming in 2026, alongside ambitions to move upscale and expand globally, large-scale product restructuring may not appear until 2026.
No. 4 Changan Lumin: 20,520 units
Changan Lumin sold 20,520 units in October, down 11.5% month-on-month, but up 20.4% year-on-year, indicating relatively stable momentum.
The decline may relate to the introduction of the RMB 47,900 ($6,540) “Treasure Edition” on October 30, which generated pre-release buyer hesitation.
However, the model secured 32,000 orders for the new edition, and against rivals such as Xingyuan, MG4, and MINI EV, it could return to 25,000 monthly sales in November.
No. 5 Wuling Bingo S: 17,248 units
With accelerated deliveries, the Wuling Bingo S—launched with 24,000 initial orders—achieved 17,248 units in October, up 175% month-on-month, quickly ranking fifth among small NEVs.
The model is priced at RMB 66,800–79,800 ($9,120–$10,900), offered with 325 km and 430 km ranges, takes 35 minutes to charge from 30% to 80%, produces 65 kW max power, and provides 1,450 L of rear storage—meeting small-family use cases.
However, still in its first-sale window, its long-term competitiveness requires broader market validation.
No. 6 BYD Dolphin: 16,197 units
After briefly exceeding 20,000 units in September, Dolphin fell to 16,197 in October, down 11.2% year-on-year.
Upgrades continue to focus on the Intelligent Driving Edition.
On October 10, the Dolphin ID version received OTA updates across eight functions including automated power-on/off, continuous voice interaction, local services, and improved charging and driving control.
As a core export model, Dolphin is key to BYD’s targets of 900,000–1,000,000 overseas sales in 2025 and 1.6 million in 2026.
No. 7 Geely Panda Mini: 15,534 units
Geely Panda Mini sold 15,534 units in October, up 13.02% month-on-month and nearly flat year-on-year.
Growth may be linked to dealer discounts—some markets offered pricing from RMB 28,900 ($3,950), far below the RMB 49,900 ($6,810) official price, supported by Golden Week demand.
Sport variant Panda Karting and off-road Panda Knight have expanded model diversity, though their contribution to core city commuter sales remains limited.
No. 8 Arcfox T1: 15,050 units
In its second full delivery month, Arcfox T1 sold 15,050 units, up 49.1% month-on-month.
Growth was driven by nationwide delivery rollouts and introduction of the 320 km version in mid-October.
With 35,000 first-month orders and 10,096 units sold in September, the model has sold over 25,000 units cumulatively. Arcfox has not disclosed October order levels but appears to hold strong reserves.
No. 9 Bestune Xiaoma: 14,688 units
China’s “Golden September & Silver October” cycle boosted Bestune Xiaoma to a record 14,688 units.
This strongest single-month performance aligns with FAW Bestune’s group-purchase program from October 12–31, offering vouchers from RMB 1,666 ($230) to RMB 21,888 ($2,990), plus up to RMB 20,000 ($2,740) in subsidies—appealing for buyers of the RMB 29,900 ($4,090) model.
No. 10 MG4: 11,480 units
SAIC MG’s new MG4 sold 11,480 units in October, down slightly by 310 units from September.
Market sources suggest supply constraints from battery production.
In October, SAIC MG replaced the planned Rept-Land battery for the MG4 530 Smart Edition with CATL packs, shifting to a single supplier to address delivery delays.
Cumulative orders exceeded 60,000 by end-October. With deposit-locking benefits extended to year-end and guarantee policies for tax-credit delays, MG aims for long-term advantage in the small NEV race.
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