Chinese electric vehicle makers BYD and Li Auto set new records for deliveries in July, usually a low season for auto sales, following the strong momentum built in the previous month and likely extending their lead over rivals as competition in China’s EV sector remains intense. On July 30, Ma Lin, an assistant vice president of brand and communication at NIO, quoted China’s top leadership on social media and called on Li Auto founder Li Xiang to stop the “low-level competitive behavior” that has gone on since last April (our translation). Top Chinese auto business leaders overall appear split on the issue of competition. Still, the Chinese EV giant saw a lackluster performance in its premium lineups. Li Auto posted its best-ever monthly result, delivering 51,000 plug-in hybrid and fully electric vehicles in July, bringing its total delivery count for the year to almost 240,000 units.