Chery Ranks 9th Globally! Three Chinese Automakers Claim Spots in the Global Top 10

In the summer of 2026, the global automotive industry finally witnessed a defining moment for China.

Chery (09973-HK), a veteran Chinese independent automaker, has strongly entered the ranks of the world’s top ten automakers this year, surpassing Ford (F-US) of the United States to claim ninth place. Chery has now officially taken its seat at the 'main table' of the global automotive industry.

For the first time, three Chinese automakers—BYD (002594-CN), Geely (00175-HK), and Chery—appear together on the global top ten list. The century-old global automotive order has been fundamentally reshaped.

1. China Leads Global Auto Sales for the 17th Consecutive Year

Cui Dongshu, Secretary-General of the Passenger Car Association, stated that China’s automotive market exerts an enormous influence on the global auto sector.

From 2016 to 2022, China accounted for around 30% of the global automotive market. Starting in 2021, Chinese automakers rapidly rose on the back of the new-energy vehicle (NEV) boom, with their market share increasing year after year.

According to data from the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, global auto sales reached 96.89 million units in 2025. Of these, China sold 34.35 million vehicles—accounting for a staggering 35.4%.

This marks the third consecutive year that China’s auto sales volume has exceeded 30 million units, maintaining its position as the world’s largest auto market for the 17th straight year.

Some may argue that the term 'Chinese vehicles' includes joint-venture brands and does not reflect purely domestic brand sales.

However, even when counting only Chinese-brand automakers, the numbers confirm they have already become the world leader.

Data shows that in 2025, cumulative global sales of Chinese-branded vehicles reached 27 million units—an approximately 10% increase—historically surpassing Japanese automakers (around 25 million units) for the first time to rank first globally.

It is the first time since 2000 that Japanese automakers have lost the crown of global sales leadership—a major turning point in the global automotive industry.

2. Three Chinese Automakers Enter the Global Top 10

Entering 2026, Chinese automakers have grown even stronger—a transformation clearly reflected in the dramatic shift of the global top ten rankings.

For decades, it was considered remarkable if a Chinese automaker could even break into the domestic top ten, let alone the global top ten.

In 2023, BYD sold 3.02 million vehicles, becoming the first Chinese automaker to enter the global top ten. In 2024, Geely Group sold 3.34 million vehicles, also entering the global top ten.

At that point, two Chinese automakers held spots in the global top ten.

Now, in the first half of this year, more good news emerged from China’s auto sector. Chery Group achieved a 4.1% global market share in the first half of 2026, officially entering the global top ten and ranking ninth—surpassing Ford.

Meanwhile, BYD holds a 4.8% share, ranking sixth; Geely Group holds 4.6%, ranking seventh.

For the first time, three Chinese自主品牌 (independent brands) appear simultaneously among the top ten global automakers by sales volume. The U.S. also claims three spots, Japan two, and South Korea and Germany one each.

The 'main table,' once dominated by American, European, Japanese, and Korean automakers for over a century, has finally been claimed by three Chinese players.

3. Chery’s Accelerated Growth and Export Leadership

Over the past few years, Chery’s sales growth has been explosive. In 2020, Chery sold only 730,000 units.

In 2021, sales surged 32% to 960,000 units—still under one million. In 2022, sales broke the million-unit mark at 1.23 million. In 2023, they skyrocketed to 1.88 million.

In 2024, Chery experienced a massive breakout, selling 2.6 million vehicles. In 2025, sales further increased to 2.8 million.

In just five years, Chery’s sales volume nearly quadrupled. By 2026, Chery had advanced into the global top ten.

More significant than the growth rate is Chery’s sales composition and export performance.

In 2025, Chery sold 1.34 million vehicles overseas—nearly half of its total sales—maintaining its position as the top Chinese-brand auto exporter for the 23rd consecutive year.

In 2026, Chery’s overseas sales accelerated further. In July alone, exports reached 202,533 units—a 70.1% year-on-year increase—making Chery the first Chinese automaker to surpass 200,000 units in a single month.

Overseas sales now account for over 73% of total volume, meaning international markets are no longer supplementary to domestic sales but have become the core driver of overall growth.