Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers – including BYD and Geely Automobile – saw their sales stabilise in April, as exports and new technologies continued to help offset weakening demand at home.

BYD, the world’s largest EV manufacturer, sold 321,123 vehicles last month, a drop of more than 15 per cent compared to a year ago, according to its exchange filing on Sunday.

However, compared with March, April’s sales figure was nearly 7 per cent higher, while the year-on-year decline was nearly five percentage points slower.

Overseas sales helped to boost the total as BYD’s outbound shipments climbed for a fourth consecutive month in April to a record 135,098. Growth also sped up from around 50 per cent year on year in the first two months of 2026 to 70.8 per cent last month.

This pattern was also seen at other major Chinese carmakers.

Geely, which produces both petrol and electric cars, sold 235,164 units last month, edging up by 0.45 per cent year on year – faster than March’s 0.37 per cent. The Hangzhou-based firm shipped 83,186 units overseas, registering the fastest monthly export growth rate this year with a surge of 244.7 per cent from the same period in 2025.

Meanwhile, Chery Automobile recorded sales of 251,386 of petrol and electric cars and exports of 177,573 units, up by 25 per cent and 102.4 per cent year on year, respectively.