A Chinese automaker has for the first time topped a ranking in global automaker innovation index, the state broadcaster CCTV News reported, citing a survey by a Germany industry advisory body.

On Tuesday (local time), the Germany-based Center of Automotive Management (CAM) released the “Automotive-Innovations 2026 Report.” Chinese manufacturer BYD topped the global automotive innovation ranking for the first time with 157 points, surpassing last year’s champion, Volkswagen, with 143 points.

German automaker Mercedes-Benz ranked third with 134 points. China’s EV maker XPeng came in with 128 points. Together with German automaker BMW, and Chinese carmaker Geely Group, the three companies ranked from fourth to sixth. Renault, Toyota, General Motors, and Hyundai followed, rounding out the top 10 in the list.

The ranking marks the first time a Chinese automaker has claimed the top spot since the “Automotive Innovation Research” project was launched in 2005, according to CCTV News.

Notably, up to three Chinese companies have made into the top 10, highlighting Chinese automakers’ progress in innovation as a whole, rather than the feats of a singular company, industry experts said.

The improvement in innovation ranking has demonstrated distinctive resources and capabilities in electrification, intelligent transformation, and large-scale supply chain possessed by China, Luke Hu, Co-Founder of Electroder, an automotive industry insider familiar with the landscape of China and Germany auto industries, told the Global Times on Wednesday. The Chinese market has, increasingly, become an arena for fostering automotive innovation, in addition to its status as a vital automotive market, Hu added.

Global Times