BYD has achieved a historic milestone by being named the world’s most innovative automotive group in the Automotive INNOVATIONS Report 2026 published by Germany’s Centre of Automotive Management (CAM), becoming the first Chinese automaker to secure the top position in the study’s 21-year history.
The global ranking placed BYD first with an innovation index score of 157 points, ahead of Volkswagen Group with 143 points and Mercedes-Benz with 134 points. The annual report is widely regarded as one of the automotive industry’s most respected independent innovation benchmarks, assessing more than 860 innovations across 36 automotive groups and over 100 brands worldwide.
The evaluation covers critical areas including electric mobility, autonomous driving, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), infotainment, connectivity, customer benefit, originality, and technological maturity.
BYD’s leading position reflects its extensive in-house technological capabilities, spanning batteries, electric motors, electronic control systems, and automotive-grade semiconductors. The company recorded 55 innovations during the study period, including 18 world premieres, the highest number achieved by any manufacturer in the report.
Among the standout innovations were BYD’s second-generation Blade Battery, capable of charging from 0 to 80 per cent in under five minutes, the Super e-Platform featuring a 1000V architecture with megawatt-level flash charging technology, and the God’s Eye ADAS suite powered by the company’s proprietary Xuanji A3 4nm chip.
Commenting on the achievement, Charith Panditharatne, Chief Executive Officer of John Keells CG Auto (JKCG Auto), said the recognition reaffirmed BYD’s leadership in new energy vehicle technology and highlighted the company’s role in shaping the future of global mobility.
The report also reflects the growing influence of Chinese automotive manufacturers, with BYD, XPeng and Geely occupying three of the top six positions. BYD further strengthened its market leadership by recording more than 4.6 million global new energy vehicle sales in 2025, the highest volume achieved by any automaker worldwide.
