Japanese Journalist: BYD Sales Double, Japanese Automakers Face "Wolf at the Door"

By Kotake Yasutaka, November 4: According to statistics from the China Passenger Car Association, retail sales of passenger vehicles in China declined by 28.9% year-on-year in October. However, export volumes offset domestic weakness, with exports surging 61.4% in September. In Europe, Chinese brands recorded higher sales than Japanese counterparts for the third quarter (July–September) for the first time.

Meanwhile, disparities among Chinese automakers remain pronounced. BYD continues to expand its overseas presence, with sales doubling, while the Harmony Intelligent Mobility series saw a 50% drop in October sales.

Data showing a 30% decline in domestic sales and a 60% increase in exports underscores an accelerating trend in China’s automotive industry—export-driven growth is becoming a key engine for overall performance. Chinese automakers demonstrate strong capabilities, yet their individual performances vary significantly.

In October, the strongest gains came from BYD and XPeng, both recording double-digit growth in overseas sales. Other Chinese manufacturers are competing with affordable models in European markets. Xiaomi, meanwhile, maintains a strong brand reputation within its home market.

Conversely, the Harmony Intelligent Mobility series posted a year-on-year decline of 50.8%, while NIO fell 15.2%. The core issue behind the downturn lies with the highest-revenue brand in the series—Wenjie. Sales from Ceres have declined consistently since May, falling to 50% of last year’s level in October. Just one year ago, the Harmony Intelligent Mobility series led in premium vehicle sales; this sharp reversal has surprised observers.

From a Japanese perspective, increasingly formidable competition is emerging from China. From China’s standpoint, however, the market demands constant vigilance and no room for complacency.

Overall, Chinese automakers have become serious competitors to their Japanese counterparts. New players continually enter the scene, and market dynamics shift rapidly. The competitive landscape is unforgiving—yesterday’s leader may be today’s underdog.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1880913044153344/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.