BYD on the September podium: the automaker that sells itself as a technology company

What the September numbers show

The light vehicle market totaled 268,721 registrations in September, up 16.16% from the same month of 2025, according to Fenabrave. Year to date, registrations exceeded 2.1 million units, the second-best performance since 2011.

In this growing market, BYD took fourth place, behind Fiat, Volkswagen and Chevrolet. The sources differ slightly in their figures because they use different databases: according to Bright Consulting, the brand had 21,647 units and an 8.2% market share, down 1.2 percentage points from August — its first decline after consecutive months of growth.

• Fiat Strada: about 16,000 units, first place among models.
• Volkswagen Polo: 11,095 units, second place.
• BYD Dolphin Mini: 9,385 units, third place and a record for the model.

"BYD is a technology company"

The statement came from Alexandre Baldy, vice president of BYD Brazil, at the NeoSummit event, as reported by NeoFeed on August 31. On the same occasion, he said that data is among a company's most important assets today and that the transition to autonomous vehicles is closer than it seems.

The rhetoric is backed by investment. According to the same report, BYD has nearly 5,000 engineers dedicated to autonomous driving worldwide and announced R$ 300 million for a research center at the Galeão Airport complex in Rio de Janeiro. Globally, the company's chairman, Wang Chuanfu, announced at the end of 2024 an investment of 100 billion yuan — about US$13.7 billion — in in-vehicle intelligence.

For consumers, this shows up as a voice assistant, driver-assistance features and a car that behaves more like a connected device than a mechanical good.

From the product to customer service

People who buy a car sold as technology tend to expect a buying experience to match. The comparison is no longer only between models; it now includes how each dealership responds, informs and leads the negotiation.

In practice, that expectation comes down to three very concrete points: an immediate reply on the channel the customer chose, accurate information on availability and terms, and continuity — customers do not want to repeat the same story to every person at the dealership.

This expectation is not limited to BYD dealerships. It spreads across the entire market, because the same buyer talks to several brands before deciding.

The growth also has limits

The September data shows that the curve is not endless. Chinese brands combined held 21.4% of the market, down from 23.2% in August, and BYD itself lost market share for the first time in months. Bright Consulting analysts read the month as one of stabilization, not acceleration.

This matters for anyone competing with these brands: the contest is not decided by the product. In a more stable market, the difference once again comes down to commercial execution — and customer service is one of its most visible parts.

What dealerships can take from this

You do not have to sell electric cars to feel the effect. A few practical points apply to any operation:

• Measure first-response time on WhatsApp and on listing sites, including at night and on weekends.
• Make sure the inventory information given to customers reflects actual stock, not a sales rep's estimate.
• Log the history of every conversation so that anyone on the team can pick up where it left off.
• Treat customer service data as an asset: which models are most in demand, which objections come up, at which stage leads are lost.

Frequently asked questions

Does BYD already outsell the traditional brands?

Not overall, yet. In September 2026, BYD was the fourth-ranked brand of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, behind Fiat, Volkswagen and Chevrolet. The highlight was the Dolphin Mini, the month's third best-selling model.

Does BYD's investment in AI directly affect dealerships?

Indirectly. BYD's AI is concentrated in the product — assisted driving, assistants and connectivity. The effect on retail comes from the expectation this kind of product creates in buyers, who start demanding speed and accuracy from customer service as well.

Why do the September figures vary between sources?

Fenabrave and Bright Consulting use different databases and cutoff dates. Fenabrave publishes the official figure for the distribution sector; Bright Consulting works with registration data from Renavam, Brazil's national vehicle registry, and publishes earlier. The differences are small and do not change the ranking positions.