BYD wants to increase its deliveries to markets outside China by almost 25% at a time when the world’s largest electric vehicle maker faces challenges at home.
The company’s goal is to sell 1.3 million cars outside the Chinese market in 2026, said Li Yunfei, general manager of brand and public relations at BYD, at a press conference in Shanghai on Saturday. The number compares with 1.05 million vehicles delivered abroad last year.
While strong growth in international sales helped the Chinese automaker overtake Tesla Inc. to become the global leader in electric vehicles last year, domestic demand has been pressured by the reduction of some incentives to buy electric vehicles in China and growing local competition.
Still, the new target may frustrate some investors: in November, Citigroup Inc. said that BYD had set a goal of selling between 1.5 million and 1.6 million vehicles abroad in 2026, based on a meeting with the company’s board.
© 2026 Bloomberg L.P.
