According to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), preliminary statistics show that retail sales of passenger cars in May reached 1.685 million vehicles, a year-on-year decrease of 3% and a month-on-month increase of 10%. Cumulative retail sales for the year to date have reached 8.052 million vehicles, representing a year-on-year increase of 5%. In May, wholesale sales of passenger cars by manufacturers nationwide totaled 2.01 million units, with cumulative wholesale sales for the year to date at 9.56 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 8%.

As the "seven giants" among domestic traditional automakers, how did they perform in May? Has the landscape changed? Let's take a look.

1 BYD (Passenger Cars)

Sales in May: 331,800 vehicles

In May, BYD sold 331,817 vehicles, including 37,499 exported passenger cars, representing a year-on-year increase of 38.2%. As of May this year, BYD's annual sales total has reached 1.26 million vehicles.

Specifically, BYD Dynasty + Ocean sold 315,227 vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 38.2%. The best-selling models are the Qin, Song, and Yuan families, with monthly sales exceeding 40,000 units. Tengshi Auto sold 12,223 vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 11.1%, with the D9 remaining the sales leader. With only one U8 model priced over a million, Yangwang Auto sold 608 vehicles. FANGCHENGBAO Auto sold 2,430 vehicles, with only the Leopard 5 model currently available.

In terms of exports, BYD exported 37,500 new energy passenger cars in May, representing a year-on-year increase of 267.65% compared to the same period last year when 10,200 new energy passenger cars were exported. The growth rate of over 200% clearly demonstrates the strong demand for BYD in overseas markets.

2 Chery Group

Sales in May: 188,500 vehicles

In May, Chery Group achieved a monthly sales volume of 188,556 units, representing a year-on-year increase of 35.5% and a slight month-on-month increase compared to April's sales. Among them, 92,481 units were exported, representing a year-on-year increase of 20.4%, while new energy sales reached 42,733 units, a year-on-year increase of 279.3%. From January to May this year, the group's cumulative sales reached 900,209 units, representing a year-on-year increase of 51%.

By brand, Chery brand sold 117,939 units in May, Starway brand sold 9,467 units, JETOUR brand sold 36,743 units, and iCAR brand's first product, which has been on the market for 3 months, sold 6,668 units in May.

In terms of exports, Chery Group continues to maintain its leading position. From January to May, cumulative exports reached 435,124 vehicles, representing a year-on-year increase of 31%. Overseas exports accounted for nearly 50% of Chery Group's cumulative sales for the first five months.

3 Geely

Sales in May: 160,000 vehicles

Geely Automobile sold 160,658 vehicles in May, including 58,673 new energy vehicles. This represents a month-on-month increase of 14% and a year-on-year sales doubling, with a year-on-year growth rate of 146%. Geely's new energy penetration rate is 36.5%, which is relatively high among traditional fuel vehicle manufacturers.

Geely has four major brands: Geely, Geely Galaxy, Lynk & Co, and Zeekr. By brand, Geely brand sold 120,264 units, Geely Galaxy sold 14,193 units, Lynk & Co brand sold 21,778 units, and Zeekr brand sold 18,616 units.

In terms of overseas exports, Geely Automobile exported 36,890 vehicles in May, representing a year-on-year increase of approximately 68%. The main export destinations are Russia, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Kazakhstan, the United States, Sweden, and other countries.

4 Changan Automobile

Sales in May: 123,000 vehicles (independent passenger cars)

Recently, Changan Automobile announced its sales performance for May. Changan sold 206,800 vehicles in May, representing a year-on-year increase of 3.92%. Among them, the sales of independent brand new energy vehicles were 55,000 units, and the sales of independent brand passenger cars in May were 123,223 units.

Currently, Changan has only announced the specific situation of its independent brand new energy vehicles. Among them, Changan Qiyuan sold 13,557 units, Shenlan Auto sold 14,371 units, AVATR sold 4,569 units, and the total sales in May reached 55,800 units. With reference to Changan's sales of 123,223 independent brand passenger cars in May, its new energy penetration rate reached 45%.

5 Great Wall Motor

Sales in May: 91,460 vehicles (including commercial vehicles)

Great Wall Motor announced that its total sales in May were 91,460 units, representing a decrease of 9.46% compared to the same period last year and a decrease of 3.52% compared to the previous month. According to statistics, as of the end of May, Great Wall Motor's cumulative sales have reached 461,589 units, representing a year-on-year increase of 11.42%.

Specifically, by brand, Haval remains the mainstay of Great Wall Motor, with sales of 47,066 units in May, representing a year-on-year decrease of 15.35% compared to the 55,600 units sold in May last year. Ora brand sold 6,005 units, representing a year-on-year decrease of 43.43%. Wey brand sold 2,862 units in May, representing a year-on-year drop of 50.39%. Great Wall Pickup sold 15,101 new vehicles in May, representing a year-on-year decline of 18.83%. Tank brand sold 20,326 units, representing a year-on-year increase of 94.90%, making it the only brand of Great Wall Motor that maintained year-on-year sales growth in May.

In terms of exports, the company's overseas exports have increased significantly year-on-year, with 34,477 vehicles exported in May, accounting for 37.7% of the group's sales, indicating accelerated globalization.

6 GAC Group

Sales in May: 72,000 vehicles

In May, GAC Trumpchi achieved sales of 32,881 units, while GAC AION achieved sales of approximately 40,000 units, representing a month-on-month increase of over 40%.

By model, the Trumpchi MPV family sold 12,642 units, continuing to rank first in MPV sales in the Chinese market. The Ying series sold 10,985 units, including 6,939 GS3·Yingsu models, ranking third in sales among Chinese brand small SUVs.

In terms of exports, GAC Group achieved 13,000 vehicle exports in May, representing a year-on-year increase of 172.5%. From January to May, the group's cumulative vehicle exports reached 57,000 units, representing a year-on-year increase of 240.8%.

7 SAIC Passenger Vehicles

Sales in May: 64,100 vehicles

SAIC Motor released its production and sales report, with sales of 332,246 units in May, representing a year-on-year decrease of 17.10%. Among them, SAIC Passenger Vehicles sold 56,051 units, representing a year-on-year decline of 29.21%, while IM Motors sold 8,105 units.

Currently, SAIC Passenger Vehicles has gathered three major brands: Roewe, MG, and Feifan. Among them, Roewe has launched the D series models that can run on both gasoline and electricity, while MG mainly focuses on overseas markets, and the prospects for Feifan Auto are relatively unclear. IM Motors, which follows a high-end route, currently has four models on sale: IM L7, IM LS7, IM LS6, and IM L6.

Among the overall underwhelming performance of SAIC Motor in May, there were also bright spots. IM Motors' terminal deliveries in May increased by 75.2% year-on-year, and the IM L6, which locked in orders for over 10,000 units, began mass deliveries at the end of May. In May, the Roewe D7 DMH of SAIC Passenger Vehicles remained the top 2 in sales of plug-in hybrid mid-size cars for the fifth consecutive month, and the world's first convertible electric sports car, the MG Cyberster, ranked high on the sports car sales list, with an average price per vehicle exceeding 350,000 yuan.

Closing Remarks

In 2024, the domestic automobile market will further undergo a "reshuffle." Judging from the current situation, the ranking of the seven major domestic brands remains relatively stable. Clearly, competition in the domestic automobile market will become increasingly fierce, and overseas exports and new energy are still growth points. Many domestic brands are also seeking transformation and re-energization.

2024 may be a watershed year. What will the domestic auto market look like this year? Let's wait and see! Welcome to follow "Car Territory Without Boundaries" and share your opinions in the comments section.