By Li Panpan

(JW Insights) Aug 18 -- The latest report by TrendForce points to a decisive global shift towards new energy vehicles (NEVs). BYD is closing in on Tesla. In the first half of this year, the global NEV sales—which encompass battery electricity vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs)—soared to an impressive 5.462 million units, reflecting a growth of 33.6% year on year.

Specifically, Q2 sales reached 3.03 million units, a 42.8% year on year surge, constituting 14.4% of total car sales for the period, and playing a pivotal role in the growth of this period.

In Q2, BEVs alone posted sales of 2.151 million units, marking 39.3% growth year to year. While Tesla maintains the lead with a market share of 21.7%, BYD trails closely behind with a boosted share of 16.2%.

In the 3rd spot is GAC Aion, a brand that has been making waves primarily in the Chinese market with its high value-for-money proposition with a 6% market share. Recently, the company has launched high-end models priced above RMB220,000 ($30,190), aiming to diversify its product range.

The top 10 BEV brands in Q2 remained fairly consistent with Q1, with only a minor shuffling in ranks. However, compared to the same period in 2022, fewer Chinese brands made the list, likely due to the growing number of EV models from traditional automakers and fierce competition among Chinese brands.

PHEVs weren't left behind, registering sales of 876,000 units in Q2—a striking 52.9% year on year increase. Astonishingly, about 66% these sales hailed from the Chinese market.

In this segment, BYD continued its lead with a whopping 36.5% market share. Its high-end subsidiary Denza, recorded increasing sales, escalating its market share to 3.4% and climbing to seventh place, said the TrendFore report.

Another brand to watch, Li Auto, set a new Q2 record with 87,000 units sold, keeping its second-place position firm with 10% market share.

Among international competitors, both Volvo and Jeep noted growth over the previous year, with Jeep crossing 30,000 units, an achievement that's brought them into the top five for the first time, according to the TrendForce report.