As the dust settles on another month in the world’s most competitive electric vehicle market, China’s NEV startups have released their October sales figures, and the results paint a picture of fierce ambition and consistent growth. Leapmotor has once again claimed the top spot, holding off a strong challenge from Huawei’s HIMA alliance, while Xpeng continues its steady performance. Let’s dive into the numbers.
October Sales Race: The Final Tally
The rankings reveal a dynamic battlefield where every unit counts. Leapmotor’s lead is substantial, but the competition remains incredibly tight, with several brands posting impressive figures.
| Ranking | NEV Startup | October Sales |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leapmotor | 70,289 |
| 2 | HIMA | 68,216 |
| 3 | Xpeng | 42,013 |
| 4 | Nio | 40,397 |
| 5 | Xiaomi | 40,000+ |
| 6 | Deepal | 36,792 |
| 7 | Li Auto | 31,767 |
| 8 | Voyah | 17,218 |
| 9 | Avatr | 13,506 |
| 10 | IM Motors | 13,159 |
Leapmotor’s Unbroken Streak
For the first time, Leapmotor blew past the 70,000-vehicle mark in a single month, delivering 70,289 cars. That’s a staggering year-on-year increase of over 84% and marks the eighth consecutive month that Leapmotor has led the startup sales charts in 2025. The company isn’t slowing down, either. The D19 EREV crossover just opened for pre-sale on November 1. Following that, the Leapmotor B05, also known as the Lafa 5 in China, is set to begin pre-sales on November 7. And if that’s not enough, the all-new Leapmotor A10 will make its grand debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show later in November.
HIMA’s High-Value Deliveries
Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) also celebrated a record month, delivering 68,216 vehicles. What’s particularly interesting is the high average transaction price of 390,000 yuan (about 54,800 USD), signaling that consumers are willing to pay a premium for models like the popular Aito series. This month, HIMA’s cumulative sales crossed the one-million-vehicle threshold, making it the fastest NEV startup to hit this major milestone. The impressive performance of models like the Huawei-powered Aito M8 shows just how much momentum the alliance has built.
Xpeng Holds Strong and Expands
Xpeng maintained its solid performance, delivering 42,013 vehicles. This figure represents a 76% increase year-on-year and keeps the company above the 40,000-unit mark for the second month in a row. For the first 10 months of 2025, Xpeng delivered a total of 355,209 vehicles, a massive 190% increase from the previous year, underscoring its rapid journey as it races to one million cars. The company is also pushing its global presence, entering seven new countries in October alone, including Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Cambodia, Morocco, Tunisia, and Qatar. It seems the EV sales gauntlet of 2025 is a challenge Xpeng is well-equipped to handle.
