Top 10 Electric Vehicle Manufacturers in China
China is making huge strides in the electric vehicle world, becoming a leader with its innovative and diverse range of electric car brands.This article takes a closer look at the top 10 Chinese electric car brands, showcasing what makes each one unique and how they are driving the future of green transportation. Let’s dive into these brands that are not just shining in China but are also making waves globally.
BYD
NIO
Xpeng
Li Auto
Volkswagen
Geely
Huawei
Changan
Chery
Aion
| Rank | Electric Vehicle Manufacturers in China | Main Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BYD Company Ltd. | BYD is a leading electric vehicle manufacturer in China, known for its diverse range of eco-friendly vehicles. |
| 2 | NIO Inc. | NIO is a rapidly growing Chinese vehicle manufacturer in 2023. |
| 3 | Xpeng | XPeng Motors is a technology company focused on future mobility, dedicated to exploring innovation and leading the transformation of transportation. |
| 4 | Li Auto Inc. | Li Auto innovates in the electric vehicle market with premium range extenders and luxurious models. |
| 5 | SAIC Motor Corporation Limited | SAIC is the largest manufacturer for Volkswagen in China leading Chinese automaker with a wide range of vehicles. |
| 6 | Geely Auto Group | Geely's Zeekr brand is one of the best-selling new energy vehicle series in China. |
| 7 | Huawei Digital Power Technologies Co., Ltd. | Huawei helps make high-end electric vehicles by providing advanced technology to the automotive industry. |
| 8 | Changan Automobile Company Limited. | Changan focuses on creating efficient, safe, stylish, and affordable vehicles. |
| 9 | Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. | Chery’s Arrizo and Tiggo have achieved global sales of over 10 million units. |
| 10 | Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. | AION (GAC)is a good brand that has some models at a really affordable cost. |
Ⅰ.BYD – Top Electric Vehicle Manufacturer in China
When it comes to top Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, the name BYD really stands out from the crowd since this is the most popular Chinese EV brand across the world.BYD in the past was a battery manufacturer. But in 2003, they saw the potential of entering the car manufacturing industry.
The first model BYD introduced was really bad. In fact, this car was rejected by many dealers for being really bad in terms of craftsmanship and overall quality.But their first hit came in 2005. When they introduced the BYD F3. This was a small sedan that became extremely popular in China.
And since then, they started to develop really fast. In recent times, BYD has started to invest heavily into pure electric cars.They ramped up the production so hard that they became the largest EV manufacturer in the world, before Tesla. BYD is also the best selling brand in China overall, a title that they took from VW.
BYD in recent times entered many European markets where they market their vehicles. Slowly but surely, this brand is gaining a lot of traction in Europe.
Popular EV Models
Recommended Reason
We recommend BYD because this is the manufacturer that produces the most EVs in China. They have a good reputation of delivering some quality products.
They have a wide array of cars, starting from sedans to SUVs. BYD has a choice for everyone. So, you should definitely check them out.
Ⅱ.Nio – Top Electric Vehicle Manufacturer in China
NIO is one of the newest car manufacturers in China and also one of the fastest developing companies in this industry.
NIO started in 2014 as a small company created by the famous Chinese entrepreneur William Li.
In recent times, NIO has released a bunch of different models that include sedans, station wagons, and SUVs.
Their models implement a very modern design language that is even better than the one found in Teslas. That’s why many people call NIO the Chinese Tesla.
But NIO is not only about building EVs. They also have a service known as BaaS. This is battery swap as a service.
What it does is allow the customers to swap the batteries in a few minutes and drive off. This way you will not worry about charging your EV and battery degradation.
Every time you have a new fully charged battery. In total, in China there are 1,300 stations like this and these stations are doing 40,000 battery swaps a day! Pretty incredible numbers, we must admit.
Overall, NIO is one of the brands that is expected to grow exponentially in the near future.
Popular EV Models
Recommended Reason
NIO is one of the fastest growing EV brands in China. They offer some really good looking cars and also they are offering BaaS. Battery replacement as a service, so you will never worry about charging your EV battery!
Ⅲ.Xpeng – Top Electric Vehicle Manufacturer in China
Xpeng is a technology company focusing on future travel, committed to exploring technology and leading future travel changes. Among the many new car-making forces, Xpeng is known for its emphasis on research and development and its sense of technology, and its automatic assisted driving technology is relatively advanced. Its models are equipped with many advanced technological hardware and have good cost performance, making people who pursue a sense of technology fall in love at first sight. The models currently on sale include three SUVs, Xpeng G3, Xpeng G6, and Xpeng G9, and sedans, Xpeng P5 and Xpeng P7.
Popular EV Models
Recommended Reason
XPeng Motors focuses on developing internet-connected electric vehicles tailored for young people in first-tier cities. Committed to exploring cutting-edge technology and leading the transformation of future mobility, XPeng’s mission is to create a more convenient and enjoyable travel experience for humanity through innovation.
Ⅳ.Li Auto – Top Electric Vehicle Manufacturer in China
Li Auto is a fairly new company, founded in 2015 by the Chinese entrepreneur Li Xiang. The company has headquarters in Beijing and manufacturing plants in Changzhou, China.
The lineup of models of Li incorporates SUVs and one minivan. What is worth noting is that Li does not focus on fully electric models.
Their lineup of models is full of premium range extenders (EREV). So, what is a range extender? Well, a range extender is a type of vehicle that uses the internal combustion engine as a generator of electricity and the electric motors for delivering power to the wheels.
This means that Li models do not require charging. The only thing you need to do is top off the gas in the gas tank.
What is beneficial with this approach is that fuel economy is great. On a full tank of gas and a full battery, you can get up to 1,315 km of range. You just can’t beat that. That’s why we think that Li Auto tackles one of the biggest problems with EVs, which is range anxiety!
Their models are filled with luxury and they are easily some of the most well-equipped models in the industry that boast technology and premium features.
Popular EV Models
Recommended Reason
Li Auto offers some of the best range extenders in the industry. With their models you have the chance to drive an EV with incredible fuel efficiency and reach an industry topping range of 1,315 km.
Ⅴ.SAIC – Top Electric Vehicle Manufacturer in China
SAIC Motor is another very large Chinese automaker. In fact, SAIC is one of the top four vehicle manufacturers in China. This company was founded back in 1955 and ever since it has developed and created many partnerships.
Some of their partnerships are with General Motors, Iveco, and Volkswagen. Their yearly output of cars is about 5.4 million vehicles.
SAIC also produces EVs along with the standard internal combustion models. They have a number of different EV brands. Some of these brands include MG, IM, Rising Auto, and Wuling Motor.
Overall, SAIC has an offering for everyone out there, no matter your budget.
Popular EV Models
Recommended Reason
SAIC is a major car manufacturer that has an offering for everyone. Their brands are covering the whole market.
Ⅵ.Geely – Top Electric Vehicle Manufacturer in China
Geely is a manufacturer that has a very long history in the Chinese market.
Geely is owned by the Chinese entrepreneur Li Shufu and the company is headquartered in Zhejiang, China.
What is interesting about Geely is that they purchased Volvo. Now they produce Volvo models, as well as Polestar models. Other companies that they own are the hugely popular Zeekr and Lotus. Other smaller brands that Geely owns include Livan, Geometry, Proton, and Lync & Co.
Popular EV Models
Recommended Reason
Geely is one of the most reputable brands in China and they own some brands with some large legacies. Geely knows how to build cars and deliver some of the best products in the industry.
Ⅶ.Huawei – Top Electric Vehicle Manufacturer in China
Huawei is one of the latest giants to enter the car manufacturing world. But not directly to manufacture models.
Instead, they have very deep partnerships with some of the manufacturers. Such as the Seres Group with whom they work on the AITO brand and Changan, with whom they develop the Avatr models.
Huawei provides a lot of technology that goes into these cars. These technologies include the Harmony OS cockpit and the autonomous driving systems. All developed by Huawei.
And their models really look rather spectacular both inside and out. Especially Avatr models that are some of the best premium EVs that money can buy.
Popular EV Models
Recommended Reason
Huawei works together with Changan and the Seres Group and helps make some of the best EVs on the market. These brands include Avatr, Luxeed, and AITO.
Ⅷ.Changan – Top Electric Vehicle Manufacturer in China
Changan is another very large state owned company. Being founded back in 1862, it is one of the oldest car manufacturers in China and also one of the big top four with a yearly output of 1.9 million cars.
The brand Changan does not offer electric cars but their sub-brands do. Among them, DEEPAL is one of the most popular and best-selling new energy vehicle brands in China.As one of the first domestic brands to explore the field of new energy vehicles, DEEPAL is committed to building a world-class electric vehicle brand and exploring more attractive green travel. Today, DEEPAL has become a full-industry chain new energy vehicle brand integrating vehicle research and development, production, processing, sales and other businesses.
Popular EV Models
Recommended Reason
DEEPAL specializes in new mainstream mid-sized SUV technology, focusing on a life-centered approach. It explores future technologies to drive a better life, breaking through the boundaries of perception to embark on a new journey, creating a unique driving experience.
Ⅸ.Chery – Top Electric Vehicle Manufacturer in China
Chery is another state owned Chinese elecric vehicle manufacturer. This company was founded way back in 1982 and they have headquarters in Wuhu, China.
Chery is known for its popular and best-selling fuel vehicle brands, they also have some other brands. These brands include the Chery NEV, Jetour, iCar, Luxeed, Exeed, and Karry.
At the moment the iCar, Luxeed, and Chery NEV offer EVs. The Luxeed brand is a collaboration between Huawei and Chery.
Popular EV Models
Recommended Reason
Chery is a very reputable company in China and also in the markets outside China. They offer some really quality cars for a very good price. This is why they are definitely worth your attention.
Ⅹ.GAC – Top Electric Vehicle Manufacturer in China
If you are a fan of Chinese EVs, you have probably stumbled upon the brand AION. AION is the electric division of the GAC Group.
GAC ranks among the largest vehicle manufacturers in China, producing 2.1 million cars annually. Regarding the AION brand, it falls within the mid-range of EV brands, offering an affordable option compared to some competitors.
The name AION was created in 2017 and since then, they have released many different models. With the most popular being the AION S.
AION implements some revolutionary technologies. Like the 480 kW charging, which charges the battery in about 8 minutes from 0 to 80%. All this because of their graphene battery which can handle all the heat from this type of fast charging.
Overall, AION is a good brand that has some models at a really affordable cost.Based on our experience, AION cars have gained significant popularity in numerous countries and have consistently achieved high sales volumes since 2023. If you are considering entering the electric vehicle industry, AION would be a favorable option to explore.
Popular EV Models
Recommended Reason
AION is a brand that serves as a people’s brand. This means that their models are far cheaper than the competitors and they manage to deliver some really nice deals for a good price.
In summary, the future prospects for the development of electric vehicles in China are very promising. Chinese electric vehicle brands have made significant progress in terms of technology, product quality, and international reputation. With the support of the Chinese government and the increasing environmental awareness of consumers, the Chinese electric vehicle market will continue to grow and mature. Consumers can choose from a wide range of electric vehicle brands in China, each offering unique features and advantages.
Resource Link: More About China EV Cars
