Chinese-controlled automotive groups registered more passenger cars in Europe than six major Japanese manufacturers for a second consecutive month in June, extending a closely watched shift in one of the world’s most competitive car markets.
Geely Group, SAIC Motor, BYD, Chery Automobile and Leapmotor recorded a combined 171,630 registrations across the European Union, the United Kingdom and the four European Free Trade Association countries, according to provisional data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association. Toyota, Nissan, Suzuki, Mazda, Honda and Mitsubishi registered a combined 158,540 vehicles, leaving the Chinese group about 13,100 units ahead for the month.
The same five Chinese groups had moved ahead for the first time in May, registering 138,410 vehicles against approximately 130,400 for the six Japanese manufacturers. Their combined advantage over the two months therefore reached about 21,100 vehicles.
The comparison nevertheless requires some qualification. ACEA classifies manufacturers by corporate group rather than by the national origin of individual brands or vehicles. Geely Group’s figures include registrations by Volvo Cars, Polestar, Smart, Lotus, Lynk & Co and Zeekr, among others. Chery’s total includes Omoda, Jaecoo and Jetour, while Leapmotor vehicles in Europe are distributed through a Stellantis-controlled joint venture.
Geely Group led the five Chinese companies in June with 49,244 registrations and a 3.5% share of the 31-country market. SAIC and BYD each held 2.7%, with 38,647 and 38,455 registrations respectively. Chery followed with 32,455 vehicles and a 2.3% share, while Leapmotor registered 12,829 vehicles, equivalent to 0.9% of the market.
The monthly result does not mean Chinese groups have overtaken their Japanese competitors for the year as a whole. During the first half of 2026, the five Chinese groups registered about 792,000 vehicles across the region, compared with approximately 869,400 for the six Japanese manufacturers. The Japanese companies therefore retained a lead of roughly 77,500 units.
Chinese companies’ gains came as Europe’s overall car market strengthened and demand continued to shift toward electrified vehicles. Total registrations across the 31 markets rose 13.1% year on year in June. Battery-electric registrations increased 51%, plug-in hybrids rose 22.7% and hybrid-electric vehicles grew 17.1%, while petrol- and diesel-car registrations both declined.
Trade policy is also influencing how Chinese manufacturers approach Europe. The EU’s additional countervailing duties apply to battery-electric vehicles produced in China, rather than to all Chinese-branded cars. Several manufacturers are consequently developing European production and assembly arrangements, but those projects remain at different stages and cannot yet be credited directly for the June sales result.
Two consecutive months of higher registrations mark a meaningful change in Europe’s competitive landscape, particularly given the long-established position of Japanese manufacturers. But the first-half figures, the mixed ownership of several groups and the provisional nature of the data suggest that the result is better viewed as evidence of accelerating Chinese momentum than as a definitive transfer of market leadership.