Best Auto Brands Companies in China
The 110 best Auto Brands companies in China in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: BYD.
$16.6 billion in disclosed funding across 110 tracked companies tells you something important: the race to define the best Auto Brands in China is already deep into its second lap. BYD leads the pack at $6.8B raised, and WM Motor ($4.6B) and Hozon New Energy Automobile ($3.5B) aren't far behind. Chery ($425M) and Geely ($200M) round out a funding spread that, frankly, shows how uneven the capital distribution is. Four unicorns have emerged from this field. So the question isn't whether China's auto brand sector is scaling, it's who survives the consolidation.
What's interesting to me right now is the digital signal underneath the hardware story. Median app install growth is running at roughly +22% YoY across 553 automotive and related apps, which tracks with rising consumer engagement around vehicle sales forecasts and segment growth coverage. And if you look at where brand builders are focusing attention, loyalty through emotional connection is emerging as a real differentiator, not just a marketing footnote. Investors like Hillhouse and Lenovo Capital and Incubator Group are watching this space closely. You can use our directory below to filter by funding momentum and find the companies actually moving this quarter.
Ranked: Best Auto Brands companies in China
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Employees | Founded | Founder | Tech stack | Market signals (1y) | Patents & IP focus | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anhui Heli Manufacturer and supplier of industrial vehicle equipment and forklift trucks | — | — | 8,716 | 1958 | — | NginxjQueryHSTS | — | 90 patents Hydraulic powertrain control and energy‑recovery systems for forklifts, AGVs, and off‑road vehicles | — |
| 2 | Asiastar Bus Brand of medium & heavy commercial vehicles | — | — | 1,371 | 1996 | Bai Cheng Li CEO & MD | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | BAIC Manufactures and markets cars and commercial vehicles | — | — | 128,735 | 1958 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | Beijing Benz Automobile Manufacture of cars | — | — | 13,000 | 2005 | — | SwiperjQueryHSTS+1 | — | — | — |
| 5 | Beiqi Foton Motor Beiqi Foton Motor is a automotive company based out of BEIJING. | — | — | 18,840 | — | — | Cart FunctionalityThree.jsGSAP+2 | — | 232 patents Patents concentrated in transport & manufacturing processes | — |
| 6 | bmw brilliance automotive Automobile manufacturing company | — | — | 20,000 | 2003 | — | UbuntuRequireJSApache HTTP Server | — | 20 patents Automotive manufacturing: fastener quality inspection, service UI control, thermal spray coating, die tooling. | — |
| 7 | Borgward Car manufacturing company | — | — | 5,440 | 1919 | Carl FW Founder | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | Brilliance Auto Manufacturer of automotive products | — | — | 1,200 | 1992 | Yang Rong Founder | Animate.cssBootstrapApache HTTP Server+3 | — | — | — |
Top 12 Auto Brands companies in China
#1
BYD 🦄Public · Shenzhen, Guangdong Province · founded 1994 · 1074 employees$6.8Braised▾
Manufacturer of electric cars, sedans, SUVs, batteries, and rail transit. It focuses on providing comprehensive energy solutions. The company designs and produces electric automobiles, buses, and trucks. It also manufactures batteries used in electric storage and renewable energy applications.
- Mar 2025Post IPO$5.6B
- Oct 2021Post IPO—
- Feb 2021Post IPO$200M
- Jun 2020Post IPO$112.9M
#2
Series D · Hangzhou, Zhejiang · founded 2016$200Mraised▾
Manufacturer of vehicles and parts
- Jul 2025Series D$200M
#3
Public · Hangzhou, Zhejiang · founded 2017$2.5Mraised▾
Manufacturer of electric car, fire trucks, and other vehicles
- Jan 2026Post IPO$30M
- Dec 2021Post IPO$2.5M
#4
Series E · Shanghai, Shanghai · founded 2014 · 112 employees$3.5Braised▾
Manufacturer of cars
- Aug 2023Series E$962.4M
- Jul 2022Series D$443M
- Feb 2022Series D$316M
- Nov 2021Series D—
#5
WM Motor 🦄Series D · Shanghai, Shanghai Shi · founded 2015 · 3952 employees$4.6Braised▾
Manufacturer of electric vehicles, including SUVs and sedans. The company focuses on designing, developing, manufacturing, and selling electric vehicles. It provides options for test drives, online consultations, and after-sales services. The company also engages in battery recycling.
- Dec 2021Series D$152M
- Oct 2021Series D$300M
- Feb 2021Conventional Debt$1.8B
- Sep 2020Series D$1.5B
#6
Public · Pudong, Shanghai · founded 1997 · 50000 employees$425Mraised▾
Brand of cars
- Dec 2022Series D—
- Jun 2009Series D$425M
#7
Public · Chongqing, Chongqing Shi · founded 1862 · 39138 employees$784.5Mraised▾
Changan Automobile is an automotive manufacturing company with products across categories such as mini cars, sedans, SUVs, vans, mini trucks, and light buses. In 2022, the company recorded annual revenues of $17.1B and a net profit of $1.49B.
- Jan 2022Post IPO$784.5M
#8
Series B · Shanghai, Shanghai · founded 2017 · 100 employees$48.5Mraised▾
Brand of autonomous road sweepers and indoor scrubbers
- Oct 2022Series B—
- Jul 2022Series B$29.9M
- May 2021Series B$18.6M
#9
Series B · Shanghai, Shanghai · founded 2020 · 120 employees$14.6Mraised▾
Provider of trucking services
- Sep 2023Series B—
- Feb 2023Series B$14.6M
- Nov 2021Series B—
- Aug 2021Series A—
#10
Funding Raised · Guangzhou, Guangdong · founded 2005 · 84290 employees$47.3Mraised▾
GAC Group (a subsidiary of Guangzhou Automobile Group) is a Chinese automobile manufacturer. Owns multiple auto brands including GAC Motor, GAC Honda Automobile (passenger cars), GAC Toyota Motor (passenger cars and commercial vehicles), GAC Fiat Chrysler Automobile, and GAC Hino Motor and more. The company has joint ventures with multiple foreign OEM partners including Fiat, Honda, Mitsubishi, and Toyota. Their clientele includes individuals and business. In 2022, the company recorded annual revenues of $16.3B and a net profit of $1.21B.
- May 2018Grant (prize money)$47.3M
#11
Acquired · Taizhou, Zhejiang · founded 2003 · 800 employees$29Mraised▾
Brand of passenger cars
- Jul 2010Unattributed$29M
#12
Series B · Wuhan, Hubei · founded 1969$14.6Mraised▾
Dongfeng Motor is an automotive manufacturing company Their products include pickup trucks, heavy trucks, buses, passenger car & more.
Funding & investor landscape
Notable founders
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Auto Brands coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
Common questions
Rohit lives in the feed. He covers what's moving right now — the funding rounds, launches and shifts breaking across the trade press — and ties them back to where the sector is heading.