Geely Auto has now crossed the threshold of exporting over 100,000 vehicles in a single month.

Sales data released by the company on July 1st shows that overseas exports for June reached 102,874 units, a year-on-year increase of 157% and a month-on-month increase of 21%, marking the first time it has surpassed the 100,000 mark. For the first half of the year, Geely's cumulative exports totaled 474,228 vehicles, a 158% year-on-year rise, already exceeding its total export volume for the entire year of 2025.

This milestone is more significant than simply achieving a new sales record.

Over the past two years, Chinese automakers have seen rapid growth in overseas sales, but few have consistently pushed monthly exports to the 100,000-unit level. While Chery has long been a representative of Chinese auto exports and BYD's overseas sales have been scaling up quickly this year, Geely's entry into this tier signifies that the overseas competition among Chinese automakers is evolving. It is moving beyond breakthroughs by a few leading players to a new phase of collective expansion by major automotive groups.

Geely achieved this result not in a uniformly favorable market. The price war in the domestic car market persists, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles is already high, and finding new growth is becoming increasingly difficult.

Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers shows that in May of this year, China's passenger vehicle exports were approximately 809,000 units, a 73% year-on-year increase. Of these, new energy vehicle exports were about 435,000 units, already accounting for more than half of total exports. In other words, going global is becoming a common strategy for Chinese automakers to absorb production capacity and expand profit margins.

The shift for Geely is that overseas markets are no longer just supplementary.

In June, Geely's overseas sales accounted for 42.7% of its total sales for the month. In the first half, exports made up about one-third of total sales. More importantly, the export structure is changing. In the first half, Geely's overseas exports of new energy products reached 277,189 units, a staggering 585% year-on-year increase, constituting nearly 60% of its total overseas exports. This indicates that the current growth wave is not driven by flooding low-tier overseas markets with traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, but rather by new energy products beginning to scale up in multiple markets.

This reflects a significant realignment of Geely's product portfolio.

In the first half, Geely Auto's cumulative sales reached 1,422,958 vehicles, a record high for the period. June sales were 240,799 units, marking the fourth consecutive month of year-on-year and month-on-month growth. New energy vehicle sales in June reached 161,449 units, representing 67% of the total. Cumulative new energy sales for the first half were 799,454 units.

The Galaxy series is driving volume in the mainstream new energy segment. In the first half, Galaxy sales totaled 519,793 units, with June sales alone reaching 108,206 units. Within this, the Galaxy Xingyuan (Star Wish) sold 50,906 units in June, the Galaxy Xingjian 7 EM-i sold 19,439 units, and the Galaxy E5 sold 13,543 units. This series competes in the most crowded, yet largest, mainstream new energy vehicle market.

ZEEKR (极氪), on the other hand, is responsible for pushing Geely's price band upwards. In June, ZEEKR delivered 35,169 vehicles, a 111% year-on-year increase. First-half deliveries reached 178,370 units, up 97% year-on-year, with cumulative global deliveries surpassing 820,000 vehicles. The average transaction price of the ZEEKR 9X exceeds 530,000 yuan, while the 009 and 7X models continue to gain traction in various high-end market segments. For Geely, ZEEKR is not just about sales numbers; it is key to improving the profit structure.

Lynk & Co and the China Star series respectively shoulder the responsibilities of new energy transformation and maintaining the foundational sales of internal combustion engine and hybrid vehicles. Lynk & Co sold 144,215 units in the first half, with new energy models accounting for 65% of that. The China Star series sold 580,580 units in the first half, continuing to provide stable cash flow. This creates a relatively clear division of roles within Geely's brand portfolio.

It is the deployment of this structure into overseas markets that represents the real test for Geely.

Geely's overseas growth is no longer just about "shipping cars abroad." The Galaxy Xingjian 7 has entered 57 countries and regions across Asia, Europe, America, and Australia. In Croatia, it became the top-selling PHEV across all brands in its first month on sale and was the best-selling mid-size PHEV SUV model in Australia in May. The Galaxy Xingyuan topped the single-model sales chart in Uruguay in its second month and plans to start production at the Renault-Geely Brazil company's Ayrton Senna Complex factory.

ZEEKR is also making inroads into high-end overseas markets. The brand has entered over 50 countries and regions, with more than 650 global stores. The ZEEKR 009 has taken a leading position in the luxury pure electric MPV segment in markets like Thailand and Malaysia, while the 7X has entered the luxury SUV race in markets such as Australia and Mexico. In the second half of the year, the ZEEKR 9X will first launch in the Middle East, followed by entries into Europe, Latin America, and Central Asia.

However, surpassing 100,000 monthly exports is just the first hurdle.

The external environment for Chinese automakers' global expansion is toughening. The European Union has previously imposed additional countervailing duties on Chinese-made electric vehicles. Since the beginning of this year, China and Europe have engaged in a new round of consultations regarding trade imbalances, export controls, and market access. Tariffs, quotas, local certification, data compliance, after-sales service, and residual value systems will all become costs for Chinese automakers in the next phase of their overseas expansion.

This is also the biggest difference between Geely's current approach and the simple export model of the past. It needs to truly convert resources from Volvo, Proton, Renault Korea, and Renault Brazil into local manufacturing, local distribution channels, and local service capabilities. Relying solely on complete vehicle exports can quickly scale up volume, but to hedge against trade barriers and stabilize profit margins, more aspects of production, R&D, supply, and sales must be localized.

Geely has now secured its ticket to scale. Breaking the 100,000 monthly export mark shows it has entered the top tier of Chinese automakers expanding globally. However, the questions it must answer next will be more challenging.

Chinese automakers' global expansion no longer lacks speed. What is lacking is the ability to translate that speed into sustainable profits and brand strength within more complex markets.

For Geely, this is a new sales record. For the Chinese automotive industry, it more closely resembles a marker signaling the entry into the next stage of global competition.