Chinese car brands accounted for 10.12 percent of total vehicle registrations in Spain during the first five months of 2025. The figure more than doubled the 23,235 units registered in the same period last year, the Spanish Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers (ANFAC) announced on Monday.

Felix Garcia, ANFAC's director of communications and marketing, described the May sales figures as "very positive." "More than 112,000 units sold and the growth of over 18 percent show that it was the best May since 2019, before the pandemic began," he said in a statement.

ANFAC's data includes not only Chinese carmakers such as Chery and BYD, but also European brands owned by Chinese automotive groups, such as Volvo under the Geely group and MG under SAIC Motor.

According to a recent survey conducted by online car dealer Coches.net and the Spanish vehicle distributors' association Ganvam, seven out of ten Spaniards expressed a favorable opinion of Chinese brand cars, saying they would consider buying one.

BYD, the world's largest plug-in car manufacturer, sold 7,788 units in Spain by the end of May, marking a dramatic rise from just 54 units sold two years ago. In May, BYD overtook Tesla as the best-selling electric car brand in the country.

The rising popularity of Chinese vehicles aligns with the broader growth in electrified vehicle sales, including pure electric and plug-in hybrids, which have taken 20 percent of the Spanish market, according to ANFAC.

"Pure electric vehicles went up to 8 percent, while other electrified vehicles now exceed 11 percent. Together, they account for around 19 percent of the market share. This is key to rejuvenating the country's Motor Vehicle Fleet and reducing emissions," Garcia added.

The Spanish government's MOVES incentive program also plays a role in encouraging electric vehicle purchases, offering subsidies of up to 7,000 euros for buyers.