Gasgoo Munich- According to data from Gasgoo Automotive Institute, sales of Chinese domestic brands hit 1,323,565 units in January 2026, signaling a robust start to the year. BYD, Geely, and Chery claimed the top three spots, while new players like AITO and Xiaomi cracked the top ten. The landscape is defined by a concentrated top tier, clear stratification, and intense rivalry between established giants and emerging challengers.
Based on data from Gasgoo Automotive Research Institute, the "January 2026 China's Local Brand Sales Ranking" is as follows:
NO.1 BYD, with January sales of 177,522 units.
NO.2 Geely, with January sales of 131,111 units.
NO.3 Chery, with January sales of 125,108 units.
NO.4 Galaxy, with January sales of 82,991 units.
NO.5 MG, with January sales of 65,579 units.
NO.6 Haval, with January sales of 50,513 units.
NO.7 Changan, with January sales of 43,467 units.
NO.8 Jetour, with January sales of 42,744 units.
NO.9 AITO, with January sales of 40,005 units.
NO.10 Xiaomi, with January sales of 39,002 units.
The January 2026 sales landscape for domestic brands is defined by market concentration, clear stratification, and fierce rivalry between legacy players and new entrants. BYD led the pack with 177,522 units, maintaining its dominance. Geely and Chery followed closely with 131,111 and 125,108 units respectively, pushing all three past the 120,000-unit mark. The race for second place is tight, with Geely and Chery separated by just 6,000 units. Meanwhile, Galaxy secured fourth place with 82,991 units, gaining momentum in the new energy sector.
MG, Haval, Changan, and Jetour rounded out the fifth to eighth spots, with sales clustered between 40,000 and 90,000 units—a sign that competition in these segments is heating up. Representing the new guard of smart EVs, AITO and Xiaomi both surpassed 39,000 units. Notably, Xiaomi cracked the top ten in its debut month, demonstrating strong market pull and underscoring the spending power in the high-end new energy sector.
Structurally, brands like BYD, Galaxy, AITO, and Xiaomi are driven by BEV and PHEV (and REEV) models, with new energy vehicles accounting for a growing share of their sales. Traditional automakers like Geely, Chery, and Changan are pursuing a dual strategy: using internal combustion engine models to defend their base while leveraging EVs to drive growth. This approach allows them to maintain scale while balancing their presence in legacy markets against the shift toward electrification.
As 2026 begins, the battle among domestic brands has evolved into a multi-dimensional contest of technology, product, and brand identity. Market leaders are leveraging scale and technical prowess to cement their dominance, while legacy automakers and new challengers engage in close combat across every segment. The industry landscape is shifting rapidly, and high-quality development has become the key logic for domestic brands aiming to break through to the next level.
