China's EV Makers in October 2026: Leapmotor Tops 100,000 Again as Xpeng and Xiaomi Pass 50,000

China's electric car makers published their October 2026 delivery figures on November 1, and the results show a widening gap between winners and losers. Leapmotor delivered 106,127 vehicles, its fourth month in a row above 100,000. Xpeng delivered a record 50,237, and Xiaomi delivered more than 50,000, its highest monthly total this year. Nio, Li Auto and Huawei's HIMA alliance all delivered fewer cars than a year earlier.

The figures include plug-in hybrid and range-extender models for the makers that sell them. The market leader, BYD, sold a record 305,743 fully electric cars in the same month – see our separate report on BYD's October sales.

What happened

Leapmotor, which is part-owned by Stellantis, grew 51% year on year. Xpeng passed 50,000 monthly deliveries for the first time, up about 20%, and its overseas deliveries also hit a record of 13,326. Geely's premium brand Zeekr grew 52% to 32,483, although it was down from September.

On the other side, Nio's three brands together delivered 34,246 cars, down 15% – its first year-on-year decline since early 2024. Li Auto delivered 29,025 cars, down about 9% and its lowest monthly total since February. HIMA, the group of brands that sell cars developed with Huawei, fell 51% to 33,537. The figures come from the companies' own announcements, as compiled by CnEVPost and CarNewsChina.

Key numbers

Xiaomi did not publish an exact figure, only that deliveries exceeded 50,000.

What it means for drivers

• The brands growing fastest are the ones expanding abroad. Leapmotor sells in Europe through Stellantis and began production of its B10 SUV in Zaragoza, Spain, in October. Xpeng's overseas deliveries reached a record. In Norway, Chinese brands took a record 22.5% of the new car market in October, as we report in our story on Tesla's October sales in Northern Europe.
• More affordable electric SUVs. Much of the growth comes from compact and mid-size SUVs at aggressive prices. If these models reach your market, they can put pressure on prices from established brands.
• Look beyond the sticker price. Fast-growing brands can change quickly – some of October's winners were losing ground a year ago, and vice versa. Check the warranty, the local service network and software support before you buy. Our guide to what to know before buying an electric car covers these points.

What happens next

November and December are traditionally the strongest months of the year for car sales in China, and several makers are racing to reach their annual targets. The full-year figures in early January will show which brands finish 2026 strongest – and which of them are most likely to arrive in Europe and other markets next.