By WU Qingqing

In July, EV startups NIO, XPeng and Li Auto were overtaken by NETA Auto and Leapmotor, while the three unicorns saw deliveries fall by more than 20 percent month-on-month. 

NETA Auto completed D3 financing and delivered 14,037 vehicles last month, surpassing XPeng and ranking second. The cumulative D round hit 10 billion yuan (US$1.5 billion). Leapmotor delivered 12,044 vehicles, hitting new highs for three consecutive months, with a year-on-year increase of over 177 percent.

XPeng did worst. July deliveries of 11,524 vehicles, up 43 percent year-on-year, were down 24.7 percent month-on-month. The XPeng G9 will start pre-orders in August and is scheduled to go on sale in September.

Li Auto had the lowest year-on-year growth rate, with 10,422 Li ONE delivered last month, up 21.3 percent.

NIO delivered 10,052 units, up 26.7 percent. NIO’s sales have exceeded 10,000 units for two consecutive months.

Chongqing Sokon, one of Huawei’s most important partners in the automotive sector, has changed its name to Seres Group. The Seres brand sold 7,807 units last month, up from next to nothing the year before.