BYD Reaches 15 Million Cumulative NEV Production Milestone

Chinese automotive manufacturer BYD announced on December 18, 2025, that it had completed its 15 millionth cumulative New Energy Vehicle (NEV) production unit, establishing itself as the first global automaker to reach this volume.

The milestone vehicle, celebrated at the Jinan factory in China, was a Denza N8L, a premium, full-size six-seat plug-in hybrid SUV, which also represented the 15,000th unit of that specific model produced. This acceleration in output is marked by the fact that BYD required only 13 months to manufacture the most recent five million units, a stark contrast to the 13 years it took to produce the initial one million vehicles following the debut of its first NEV, the F3DM, in 2008.

BYD’s cumulative production figure, which encompasses both Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), now surpasses the approximate total of 8.1 million BEVs delivered by Tesla and exceeds the combined BEV and PHEV production of under three million units by the Volkswagen Group. This competitive positioning is supported by BYD’s vertically integrated strategy and high-volume models, including the Dolphin hatchback and the Seagull city car, both of which have individually surpassed one million units sold globally.

The company’s financial commitment to technological advancement is reflected in its Research and Development (R&D) expenditure, which reached RMB 43.75 billion for the first three quarters of 2025, an 31% year-on-year increase. This R&D investment for the nine-month period exceeded the net profit of RMB 23.33 billion for the same timeframe.

Sustained operational momentum is evident in BYD’s performance data for the first 11 months of 2025, which showed total vehicle production at 4.182 million units, an 11.3% year-on-year increase. International expansion is a key driver, with overseas sales reaching 917,000 units in that same 11-month period, already surpassing the total international volume for the entirety of 2024. The company’s global presence spans over 119 countries and regions, supported by localized production facilities, including a plant in Brazil and a forthcoming facility in Hungary scheduled for trial production in the first quarter of 2026.

Looking ahead, BYD is advancing its premium offerings with the planned launch of its 'Ocean 8 Series Dual Flagships' in the first quarter of 2026, which will feature the Sealion 08 SUV, incorporating advanced systems like the DiSus intelligent suspension.