BYD Song ranks as China’s top-selling model by wholesale volume in Jan

• Tesla Model Y came in fourth with wholesale sales of 38,916 units.
• Among the 17 models exceeding 20,000 wholesale units in January, 13 were NEVs.

BYD (HKG: 1211, OTCMKTS: BYDDY) Song was the best-selling model by wholesale volume in China last month, according to a report released Thursday by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

The Song SUV (sport utility vehicle) series recorded wholesale sales of 42,227 units in January, the highest among 17 models exceeding 20,000 units last month.

Geely Auto (HKG: 0175, OTCMKTS: GELYF) Xingyuan compact EV ranked second with wholesale sales of 41,676 units.

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) Model Y SUV came in fourth with wholesale sales of 38,916 units.

Xiaomi (HKG: 1810, OTCMKTS: XIACY) YU7 SUV ranked fifth with 37,869 units, while Tesla Model 3 sedan was seventh with 30,213 units.

Among these 17 models exceeding 20,000 wholesale units, 13 were NEVs, according to CPCA.

Separately, in a passenger vehicle retail sales ranking shared by local auto media Auto Home on Thursday, Xiaomi’s YU7 topped the list with 37,869 units sold. Nio’s ES8 ranked 16th with 17,645 units, while the Model Y came in 20th with 16,845 units.

January is traditionally a slow season for China’s auto industry, compounded by the impact of reduced policy support.

China’s NEV retail sales in January totaled 596,000 units, marking a 20% year-on-year decline — the first such drop since March 2024, per CPCA data.

The BYD Song series, Geely Xingyuan, and Tesla Model Y have consistently ranked among China’s best-selling models.

The Xiaomi YU7, launched in June 2025, is another top seller, while the updated Nio ES8 achieved significant success after its September 2025 rollout.

Tesla’s January retail sales in China fell to their lowest level since November 2022, while exports from its Shanghai factory hit the second highest on record.