Geely September sales rise 7% to 2026 high as record export streak ends

• Geely Auto exported 106,685 vehicles in September, up 162% year-on-year but down 3% from August, ending 8 consecutive months of record exports.
• Domestic sales fell 20% year-on-year to 185,483 vehicles, the smallest decline since February.

Geely Auto (HKEX: 0175) posted its highest monthly sales of the year in September as its domestic decline eased, though exports, which have underpinned growth, fell sequentially for the first time this year.

The Chinese automaker sold 292,168 vehicles in September, up 6.97% year-on-year and 8.13% from August, according to data released Thursday.

That was its highest monthly total this year and marked the third consecutive month of year-on-year growth above 5%.

Geely exported 106,685 vehicles in September, up 162.35% year-on-year but down 3.10% from 110,094 in August.

Its monthly exports had previously set records for 8 consecutive months. Exports accounted for 37% of total sales in September, down from 41% in August.

The company sold 185,483 vehicles in China in September, its highest monthly total since January, despite a 20.21% year-on-year decline. The decline narrowed for a second consecutive month, from 25.22% in August and 29.12% in July.

Geely's new energy vehicle (NEV) sales reached 190,868 in September, up 15.54% year-on-year and accounting for 65% of total sales.

Battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales rose 25.86% year-on-year to 125,254, while plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) sales were largely unchanged at 65,614.

By brand, the main Geely brand, including Geely Galaxy, sold 236,459 vehicles in September, up 6.53% year-on-year.

The Galaxy sub-brand contributed 130,479 vehicles, up 7.95% year-on-year and its highest monthly total this year.

Zeekr sold 37,216 vehicles, up 103.85% year-on-year, marking the ninth consecutive month of growth close to or above 100%.

Lynk & Co sold 18,493 vehicles, down 43.79% year-on-year, its steepest decline this year. It remained the only brand to post a year-on-year decline.

In the first 9 months, Geely Auto's cumulative sales reached 2,235,481 vehicles, up 3.01% year-on-year, according to data compiled by CnEVPost. That represented 65% of its full-year target of 3,450,000 vehicles.

The company would need to sell an average of about 405,000 vehicles per month in the fourth quarter to meet that target, well above its monthly record of 310,428 set last November.

Exports totaled 797,670 vehicles in the first 9 months, up 169% year-on-year and reaching 87% of its full-year export target of 920,000 vehicles. The target was raised from 640,000 on August 17.

Over the same period, cumulative sales in China fell 23.28% year-on-year to 1,437,811 vehicles.

The main Geely brand's sales fell 1.91% year-on-year to 1,750,960 vehicles in the first 9 months. Lynk & Co's sales declined 18.78% to 196,117, while Zeekr's doubled to 288,404.

The company's Malaysian brand Proton sold 20,569 vehicles in September, up about 43% year-on-year. Its sales in the first 9 months totaled 157,761 vehicles, up about 30%.

Geely unveiled a new generation of AI (artificial intelligence) charging technology last week, claiming it can charge a battery from 10% to 70% in just 4 minutes and 30 seconds, in a direct challenge to BYD (HKEX: 1211) in ultrafast charging.