Rapid Expansion
You can say a lot about Chinese car manufacturers, whether it’s the industry’s ultra-rapid development timeline or the build quality of their vehicles. One thing’s for sure: in a short time, these brands have expanded so quickly that the world now accepts them as legitimate carmakers. This has pushed Chinese automakers to the top of global automotive sales, driven by new energy vehicles and feature-packed cars at a fraction of the competition’s cost.
Leapmotor is one of the (very) many automotive brands from China, and while it normally isn’t in the headlines like BYD or Geely, it has slowly carved out a healthy global presence. In fact, Leapmotor’s strategy has paid off, as 2026 global sales numbers are now being revealed.
Stellantis
Leaping Over The Competition
Nikkei Asia reports that Chinese EV brand Leapmotor has just overtaken Mitsubishi and Subaru in global sales. This marks the first time Leapmotor has overtaken both brands based on the April to June quarter. Most of Leapmotor’s newfound sales follow the brand’s rapid expansion in China and Europe, with both regions seeing strong demand for its affordable electric vehicles.
According to the report, the rapid rise in global oil prices has boosted Leapmotor sales and demand. April-to-June quarterly sales jumped 84% from the previous year to a record 240,000 vehicles sold. In that same period, Subaru sold only 230,000, while Mitsubishi sold only 170,000 cars. This is the first time a Chinese startup automotive brand established after 2010 has overtaken legacy Japanese automakers. Leapmotor was established in 2015 and has developed many of its key technologies in-house; its lineup focuses on plug-in hybrids and EVs.
Autoblog
Global Outlook
The top dog is still (unsurprisingly) Toyota Motor, which registered 2.71 million vehicles that quarter, but that is 4% down from last year’s sales in the same period. Second is the Volkswagen Group, which tallied 2.07 million units, a 9% drop from last year. Leapmotor’s growth in general is also fueled by one of its biggest investors, Stellantis. This contrasts sharply with Japanese automakers’ struggles in Europe, with Nissan dropping 15% that quarter and Mitsubishi dropping a shocking 40%.
Subaru
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