The Chinese battery-electric vehicle (BEV) market saw significant growth in the first quarter of 2025, with new leaders emerging and reshaping the competition landscape. At the same time, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) segment also experienced fierce rivalries, with Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry providing insights into the top-performing models.
China’s BEV market witnessed a surge in registrations, with 1.54 million vehicles registered between January and March, marking a 47.9% increase compared to the same period last year. The PHEV market also performed strongly, recording nearly 1.1 million deliveries, a 37.2% improvement.
In March alone, the BEV market saw a 53.8% improvement, with 662,403 new models hitting the roads, while 403,077 PHEVs were sold, representing a 30.8% rise. The increased competition in both powertrains led to some interesting performances, with new models challenging established contenders.
The Geely Geome Xingyuan claimed the top spot in the BEV quarterly model table, with 89,215 units sold. The Wuling Mini closely followed in second place, just 48 units behind. The Tesla Model Y jumped to third place after a slow start to the year, recording 81,889 deliveries in the first quarter.
BYD’s Seagull secured the fourth spot, with 79,094 units sold, while the Xiaomi SU7 took fifth place with 75,869 units delivered. BYD continued its dominance in the PHEV market, with eight of its models placing in the top 10 in the first quarter.
The BYD Song Plus led the PHEV market with 58,300 units sold, followed by the BYD Qin L with 53,931 registrations. BYD’s strong performance in the PHEV sector continued, with models like the BYD Song Pro and Qin Plus maintaining their positions in the top rankings.
Overall, the Chinese BEV and PHEV markets saw intense competition in the first quarter of 2025, with new leaders emerging and established players facing challenges from up-and-coming models. The growth in both segments reflects the increasing demand for electric vehicles in China and sets the stage for further developments in the coming months.
