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Leapmotor is back on top of China’s NEV startup leaderboard. February 2026 deliveries were broadly softened by the Chinese New Year lull, but Leapmotor still edged out rivals with 28,067 vehicles—enough to reclaim first place from Huawei-backed HIMA. At the other end of the headline rankings, Xpeng posted the weakest result among the major new energy vehicle startup players.
February 2026: NEV startup sales snapshot
The holiday season typically disrupts showroom traffic, logistics, and production schedules—so month-to-month comparisons in February often look harsher than the market’s underlying demand.
Top NEV startup deliveries (February 2026)
- Leapmotor — 28,067
- Li Auto — 26,421
- HIMA — 21,517
- Nio — 20,797
- Xiaomi — 20,000+
- Xpeng — 15,256
- eπ — 14,936
- Voyah — 8,358
- Polestones — 1,298
Leapmotor regains No.1 despite a seasonal dip
Leapmotor’s February win comes with a familiar asterisk for China’s EV market: the calendar. Deliveries fell 12.5% month-on-month, reflecting the typical slow season, yet still rose 11% year-on-year—an encouraging sign that its product mix and pricing remain competitive in the crowded electric car and plug-in hybrid arena.
Even with February’s slowdown, Leapmotor’s 2026 cumulative sales have already surpassed 60,000 units, placing it second year-to-date behind HIMA—a reminder that the title fight is far from settled.
Li Auto climbs as it prepares a flagship SUV push
Li Auto moved up two positions compared with January, delivering 26,421 vehicles. The brand saw a modest 4.5% month-on-month decline but managed a 0.6% year-on-year increase—steady performance for a maker known for family-focused SUVs and long-distance usability.
A major near-term catalyst is the upcoming Li L9 Livis, described as a full-size, six-seat flagship SUV expected in Q2. In a segment where cabin comfort, assisted driving features, and real-world range matter as much as acceleration figures, a fresh flagship could help Li Auto defend share against both premium EV rivals and value-focused challengers.
HIMA cools sharply after a huge January
HIMA (Huawei’s automotive alliance) delivered 21,517 vehicles in February, down dramatically from January’s 57,915. Such a swing underscores how volatile deliveries can be around the holiday period and following major promotional pushes.
Within HIMA’s portfolio of five sub-brands, Aito remained the volume anchor with roughly 18,000 vehicles delivered, keeping the group firmly in podium position.
Nio’s multi-brand strategy gains traction
Nio ranked fourth with 20,797 deliveries, boosted by a strong 57.6% year-on-year increase. The total included:
- Nio brand — 15,159
- Onvo — 2,981
- Firefly — 2,657
The company has now delivered 1,045,571 vehicles cumulatively, a milestone that signals scale—an increasingly important advantage as China’s EV market shifts from growth-at-all-costs to efficiency, software features, and brand loyalty.
Xiaomi holds above 20,000 as SU7 ramps up
Xiaomi reported deliveries of more than 20,000 vehicles in February. While the company has been tight-lipped on granular breakdowns in this update, attention is clearly on manufacturing momentum as it prepares for mass production of the new Xiaomi SU7—a model that has drawn global interest for blending consumer-tech branding with a modern EV silhouette.
Xpeng faces pressure after two months of decline
Xpeng took sixth place with 15,256 vehicles delivered, down 23.8% month-on-month and 49.9% year-on-year—marking a second consecutive month of declines. In a market where new trims, price cuts, and software updates can reshape demand quickly, the next few months will be critical for Xpeng to stabilize volumes and refresh its competitive positioning.
Market watch: February’s ranking is a reminder that China’s new energy vehicle race is increasingly a game of timing—production rhythms, new model launches, and post-holiday demand rebounds can reshuffle the order just as quickly as headline “bestseller” titles are claimed.
Comments
Tomas
Feels overhyped. Feb is timing noise, Xpeng needs a plan, Xiaomi SU7 buzz could flip the leaderboard fast. wait for Q2 production to tell
atomwave
Is this even true? Leapmotor topping Feb looks kinda sketchy with the CNY lull and HIMA’s giant Jan spike. Month-to-month swings mislead, are hybrids counted same way? curious…
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