Core Insights - The Chinese automotive market in September continues to be dominated by new energy vehicles (NEVs), but there is a noticeable internal structural differentiation [2][3] - The market has shifted from a "universal growth phase" to a "structural competition phase," with BYD's decline serving as a significant uncertainty signal [3][7] Market Performance - BYD's NEV sales in September reached 396,000 units, a year-on-year decrease of 5.5%, marking a rare pullback in its years of rapid growth [3] - Changan and Geely showed robust performance, with Changan's sales at 266,000 units (up 25% year-on-year) and Geely's at 273,000 units (up 35% year-on-year) [3][4] - Great Wall Motors sold 134,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 23.3%, with NEV sales of 46,000 units [4] New Entrants and Technology Brands - New entrants and tech brands showed significant growth, with Leap Motor delivering 66,700 units (up nearly 100% year-on-year) and Xiaopeng delivering 41,600 units (up 95%) [5] - NIO delivered 34,700 units (up 64%), while Xiaomi's automotive deliveries exceeded 40,000 units, maintaining momentum since its launch [5] Joint Ventures and Traditional Brands - Joint ventures remain conservative, but some brands are finding support; FAW-Volkswagen sold 146,000 units, with Audi leading the luxury fuel vehicle market [6] - GAC Aion delivered 29,100 units, a year-on-year decline of 18.6%, but showed a 7.6% increase compared to the previous month [6] Export and Internationalization - Exports and internationalization are becoming new growth pillars for Chinese automakers, with Changan's overseas sales exceeding 60,000 units (up 23% year-on-year) [6][7] - Great Wall's overseas sales reached 50,000 units, and SAIC-GM-Wuling's cumulative sales for the first three quarters were 1.175 million units, with significant contributions from NEV exports [6][7] Competitive Landscape - The market is now characterized by a "multi-polar" competitive landscape, with BYD's decline being a key variable for industry observation [7] - The next steps for the Chinese automotive market will depend not only on the speed of NEV adoption but also on advancements in intelligence and globalization [7]