This photo taken on April 24, 2024 shows a new energy vehicle (NEV) assembly line of BYD, China's leading NEV manufacturer, at the plant of BYD in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province. Photo:Xinhua

Chinese carmaker BYD surpassed US-based Ford Motor Co in global vehicle sales last year for the first time, according to a media report on Wednesday. A Chinese expert said that the development is not surprising amid Chinese carmakers' steady rise in the global market, noting that China's development in the new-energy vehicle (NEV) industry is open and cooperative, and it also contributes to the global green transition.

Ford reported on Tuesday (US time) that its global wholesale sales slipped nearly 2 percent to just under 4.4 million units. BYD said in January that it sold about 4.6 million vehicles in 2025. The shift pushed BYD up to sixth place in the global sales ranking, edging ahead of Ford in the worldwide standings, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

According to Bloomberg, while Ford's US sales rose last year, it lost ground in Europe and particularly China, where domestic manufacturers including BYD, Xiaomi Corp and Geely Automobile Holdings have gained market share from foreign automakers with affordable, technology-laden electric vehicles (EVs).

BYD said in a statement sent to the Global Times on Wednesday that the company's full-year NEV sales in 2025 reached 4.602 million units, further solidifying its position as the world's largest NEV manufacturer. In 2025, BYD achieved a breakthrough in overseas sales, surpassing 1 million units for the first time.

Represented by BYD, Chinese automobile brands are leveraging their systematic advantages in electrification, intelligence, product matrix, and supply chain management to play an increasingly important role in the global market, while continuously driving the worldwide automotive industry's transition toward NEVs, the company said in the statement.

Commenting on BYD surpassing Ford for the first time, Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association, said on Wednesday that it is not surprising, as "Chinese EVs are steadily gaining a foothold in the global auto market, thanks to their growing competitiveness in technology, cost effectiveness, and market appeal."

"The outcome also aligns with the global automotive industry's development trend: NEVs are experiencing rapid growth, while the traditional internal combustion engine vehicle market continues to shrink," Zhang Xiang, secretary-general of the International Intelligent Vehicle Engineering Association, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Also on Wednesday, according to Nikkei Asia, Ford Motor President and CEO Jim Farley sounded the alarm on the impact of Chinese automakers on established players worldwide, calling China's auto industry a "wild card" that all carmakers must now contend with. 

According to the report, Farley claimed that China's combination of heavily subsidized low-cost production and weak domestic demand is bound to increase the pressure from exports. Ford reported a full-year net loss of $8.18 billion, as it recognized $15.9 billion in extraordinary losses related to the cancelation of EV programs.

Zhang said that Farley's remarks show that it is externalizing its own shortcomings, as many US traditional automakers are hampered by strategic indecision and poor execution in the transition to NEVs. 

Cui said that Chinese EV companies, after years of sustained development, have achieved progress through continuous technological innovation, a complete and robust supply chain system, and intense market competition, rather than relying on subsidies to gain competitive advantages.

In addition, the development of China's NEVs is essentially open and cooperative in nature, as more Chinese automakers have already achieved localized production, Cui said. 

For instance, BYD has established overseas production bases in key regions such as Brazil, Thailand, and Hungary. Great Wall Motor has formed a global research and development layout, covering Europe, Asia, and North America, and comprehensively encompassing vehicle development, core components, new energy, and intelligent technologies.

"Chinese NEV products are a vital contribution to global green development," Zhang said, noting that China provides affordable and high-quality products to fulfill global green needs, allowing consumers around the world to buy NEVs at lower costs and promoting widespread adoption. Meanwhile, by leveraging its supply chain strengths and international collaboration, China shares products, technologies, and manufacturing capacity with other nations, collectively speeding up the global green and low-carbon transformation, the expert noted.