Lunar holiday reduces sales of electric vehicles in China but Nio surpasses rivals with significant growth

The Chinese automotive market faced a significant decline in sales of electric vehicles during the month of February, directly impacted by the Ano Novo Lunar festivities. With the celebration extending over nine days, the useful period for production and deliveries was reduced to just 16 days, affecting the logistics of large manufacturers. Gigantes of the sector such as BYD and Xpeng reported sharp declines compared to the same period of the previous year, reflecting the typical seasonality of the region. However, Nio countered the negative statistics and presented a robust performance, standing out in a scenario of general slowdown.

Impact of the calendar on automakers

The variation in holiday dates compared to the previous year made annual comparisons difficult for most companies in the sector. BYD, the world leader in the new energy vehicle segment, recorded a total of 190,190 units delivered, which represents a drop of more than 41% compared to February 2025.

Xpeng also suffered from the reduction in working days, delivering just over 15,000 vehicles in the period. The company attributed part of this retraction to the end of government incentives that previously boosted national demand. Apesar of the lower numbers, the brand reaffirmed its commitment to the development of autonomous driving technologies as a strategy to recover sales volume in the coming months.

Nio registers high and clashes with the market

In a move contrary to its main competitors, Nio achieved significant growth of 57.6% in the annual comparison, totaling 20,797 deliveries in February. The positive performance was driven by aggressive promotions targeting the spring season and continued acceptance of its battery swap technology. Mesmo with a natural monthly drop due to the holiday, the company’s main brand contributed significantly to the result, consolidating its competitive position.

Stability was also observed at Li Auto, which maintained its sales at around 26,000 units, registering a slight annual increase. Especializada in plug-in hybrid models, the automaker managed to navigate logistical disruptions with less damage than rivals focused exclusively on battery electric vehicles.

Export and recovery scenario

While the Chinese domestic market slowed down, exports served as a balancing point for several manufacturers. Maintaining high volumes of shipping abroad allowed local brands to offset pent-up demand during the national holiday. Xiaomi, for example, delivered around 20,000 vehicles, maintaining stable annual performance thanks to competitive models in price and technology.

Industry analysts predict a gradual recovery in the coming weeks as automakers adjust their post-holiday strategies. The combination of new launches and the resumption of full production capacity should once again heat up the dispute between domestic and foreign brands in the world’s largest automobile market.