September sales figures from China's major EV startups show a widening gap, according to a report by Husi (虎嗅). Leapmotor led with 105,656 deliveries, maintaining its position above the 100,000-unit mark for a third consecutive month. Xpeng followed with 41,256 units, its best month this year, while Xiaomi crossed 40,000 for the first time. Harmony Intelligent Mobility (HIMA), the alliance led by Huawei, delivered 37,490 vehicles, narrowly ahead of Nio's 37,408, with Li Auto trailing at 31,817.
Leapmotor leans on Europe
Leapmotor's growth in September came largely from overseas markets, particularly Europe. According to the report, exports exceeded 27,000 units in September, up from about 18,300 in August, while total deliveries rose by only 2,527 units. The company's European strategy leverages low prices and high equipment levels, with the T03 starting at 18,900 euros in Germany and the B10 at 29,900 euros. Leapmotor has over 1,000 retail outlets in Europe, mostly integrated into Stellantis' existing dealer and after-sales network, sharing showrooms with Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, and Citroën.
Leapmotor's cumulative deliveries for the first nine months reached 667,000, leaving a gap of 333,000 to its annual target of 1 million. To hit that goal, it would need to average about 111,000 deliveries per month in the fourth quarter, roughly 5,500 more than September's figure.
Xpeng and Xiaomi rebound, Aito restructures
Xpeng's September total was driven by the MONA L03 (over 10,000 units) and the GX (7,224 units). The newly launched G9L, available in both BEV (battery-electric) and EREV (range-extender) versions, is priced between 231,800 and 309,800 yuan (about $32,600 to $43,600, Chinese guide price before taxes and incentives). Xpeng has also consolidated its product lines from four to two, aiming to reduce internal overlap.
Xiaomi's September deliveries exceeded 40,000, boosted by the new Pengcheng SUV series, which started deliveries just five days after launch and surpassed 10,000 units in its first month. However, the company still faces a steep climb to meet its annual target of 550,000, requiring nearly 88,000 units per month in the fourth quarter. Analysts quoted in the report suggest that while Pengcheng's initial surge is promising, sustaining 20,000-30,000 monthly deliveries will be crucial.
HIMA, which includes the Aito brand, saw deliveries fall for a third consecutive month. In response, Huawei and Seres have restructured their partnership. On September 30, they signed a new five-year agreement to form a dedicated Aito business team, following a mid-September move that gave Seres more control over product definition, marketing, and sales. The report notes that Aito remains HIMA's largest volume contributor, and the adjustment aims to clarify roles while keeping Huawei involved in technology and cooperation.
