Geely EX2 crowned China’s best-selling car of 2025: Compact EV scores big ahead of Aussie debut and fight with BYD Atto 1
The Australia-bound Geely EX2 compact electric hatchback has been crowned the top-selling vehicle in China in 2025.
Sold in its home market as the Geely Galaxy Xingyuan, the small electric five-door finished the year with 465,775 retail sales, making it not only the best-selling electric vehicle but the most popular passenger car of any type in the world’s largest automotive market.
That total placed it ahead of the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV with 435,599 sales, followed by the Tesla Model Y on 425,337. The Tesla Model 3 also featured inside the top 10, while the remainder of the list was dominated by BYD models.
READ MORE: Another sub-$30K EV? Geely EX2 to take on BYD Atto 1 and MG4
READ MORE: 2025 Geely Starray EM-i Inspire Review: Sure, it’s got some issues, but the value and efficiency of this Chinese plug-in hybrid family SUV is undeniable
READ MORE: 2025 Geely EX5 Inspire Review: We’ve just spent a week with this new electric SUV, it’s got a lot more going for it than sharp pricing alone
Several of the vehicles high on the Chinese charts are already familiar to Australian buyers. As well as the Tesla Model Y and Model 3 the BYD Dolphin appears inside the top 20. Notably, the BYD Seagull — fifth overall in China with more than 310,000 sales — is sold in Australia as the BYD Atto 1.
The Atto 1, Australia;s cheapest EV starting at $23,990 plus on-road costs, will be a close competitor for the EX2 on size and most likely on price.
One thing that stands out about the EX2’s result is that it is a conventional compact hatchback rather than an SUV.
Geely Auto Australia confirmed in December 2025 that the EX2 will go on sale locally in the second half of 2026, joining the EX5 and Starray EM-i in the brand’s local line-up.
Built on the same Global Intelligent Electric Architecture platform as those models, the rear-wheel-drive EX2 measures 4135mm long and rides on a 2650mm wheelbase, only 100mm shorter between the wheels than the EX5 SUV.
The EX2 recorded more than 40,000 monthly sales for seven consecutive months during 2025, peaking at over 50,000 units in September.
The broader top-20 list also highlights how rapidly Chinese brands are reshaping the EV landscape. Models from Xiaomi, Xpeng and Li Auto all feature, while only the two Teslas were the only foreign interlopers.
