China's emerging electric-vehicle makers delivered a divided set of results in June 2026, with several young automakers posting their strongest month of the year while two established rivals lost ground. Leapmotor (HKEX: 9863), Nio (NYSE: NIO) and XPeng (NYSE: XPEV) each set 2026 delivery highs, according to figures the companies released on July 1, 2026. Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) and Huawei-backed HIMA both posted year-on-year declines, reflecting intensifying competition across China's new-energy vehicle market.

Leapmotor delivered 93,376 vehicles globally in June, a 94.51% jump from a year earlier and its highest monthly total on record. The Stellantis-backed automaker's first-half deliveries reached 356,487 units, up 60.82% year-on-year. Its cumulative global deliveries crossed 1.5 million units on June 18, 2026, a milestone reached just eight months after passing 1 million.

Nio delivered 40,597 vehicles in June, a 62.88% increase year-on-year and its best month of 2026 so far. The main Nio brand accounted for 21,908 units, while its Onvo and Firefly sub-brands delivered 11,743 and 6,946 units respectively. Nio's second-quarter deliveries totaled 107,658 units, falling short of the company's guidance range of 110,000 to 115,000 despite a 49.4% annual gain.

XPeng delivered 40,126 vehicles in June, up 15.93% year-on-year and ending five consecutive months of annual declines. The rebound was driven largely by the new GX flagship SUV, which delivered 6,739 units in its first full month on sale. XPeng's second-quarter total of 103,295 units landed within its guided range of 100,000 to 106,000.

Li Auto delivered 30,895 vehicles in June, down 14.84% year-on-year and 7.36% from May's 33,350 units. It marked the company's second consecutive month of annual declines, though its 98,330 second-quarter deliveries stayed within its 95,000-to-100,000 guidance.

Zeekr, Geely's premium EV brand, delivered 35,169 vehicles in June, up 111% year-on-year, extending a run of triple-digit growth. Its first-half deliveries reached 178,370 units, up 97% year-on-year, pushing cumulative deliveries past 821,259 by the end of June.

HIMA, Huawei's Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance covering the Aito, Luxeed, Stelato and Maextro brands, delivered 50,624 vehicles in June, down 3.73% year-on-year — its first annual decline since May 2025. The figure still rose 9.76% from May, aided by the Aito M9, which topped 8,000 deliveries within two weeks of its May 27, 2026 launch at a starting price of 479,800 CNY (c. $70,700).

Xiaomi's EV unit said deliveries again exceeded 30,000 units in June, its third straight month above that threshold, without disclosing an exact figure. The company has set a 2026 delivery target of 550,000 units, roughly 34% above the approximately 410,000 units it delivered in 2025.

The divergence points to a market rewarding fresh product cycles over incumbency. Leapmotor's D99, its first MPV, launched on June 25, 2026, priced from 249,800 to 319,800 CNY (c. $36,800 to $47,100). XPeng's Mona L03 SUV was set to open presales on July 2, 2026, and Li Auto launched a redesigned L8 flagship SUV on June 23, 2026, with a new-generation L6 due in July, part of a broader overhaul of its extended-range lineup.

With half-year delivery targets largely unmet — Leapmotor at roughly 36% of its 1-million-unit annual goal and Xiaomi needing to keep pace with its 550,000-unit target — the density of new-model launches through the second half may decide which of China's EV upstarts closes the gap first.

Conversion rate: 1 USD = 6.79 CNY as of July 1, 2026