World Car Person of the Year — Stella Li

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If you follow the electric vehicle industry, you should know who Stella Li is. She’s the second most famous person at BYD, and she has been the leader of the company outside of China for several years. She’s the company’s Executive Vice President, and she just won an award that I’m sure she fully deserves — 2025 World Car of the Year.

“The Awards committee curates a shortlist of worthy candidates and then the World Car of the Year jurors – 96 distinguished automotive journalists from 30 countries – cast their votes for the winner,” BYD writes. In other words, it’s a serious award, and it shows how much BYD has risen in the eyes of automotive journalists around the world. The BYD era is arriving.

BYD’s growth in the past year has been enormous. Here’s how the company explains Stella Li’s win:

“Stella Li has secured the 2025 World Car Person of the Year award after a hugely successful 12 months for BYD. As well as outstanding sales success in China, the company’s new-energy vehicles gained significant market share in new markets such as Brazil and Mexico, and expanded across key regions like Europe, helping it to achieve several production milestones. In November 2024 BYD produced its 10 millionth new energy vehicle, a unique achievement in the industry, and the company now employs a million people worldwide, including over 110,000 staff in its research and development division.

“This investment in R&D has allowed BYD to introduce global breakthroughs such as the world’s fastest electric motor in mass production (23,000rpm), as featured in the recently launched SEALION 7, and cutting-edge DM-i (Dual Mode Intelligent) plug-in hybrid vehicles that bring greater efficiency to customers who aren’t quite ready to switch to pure electric models.

“Beyond its passenger-car business, BYD continues to implement a unique strategy that covers not only energy use through transportation, but also clean energy capture and energy storage. Its progress, technologies and products are now shaping the global car industry in a way that would have seemed impossible just 30 years ago, when BYD was founded as a manufacturer of batteries in Shenzhen, China.”

Honestly, the hardest thing about covering BYD is remembering and not neglecting all of the amazing things it’s doing and achieving.

Another nice thing about Stella Li is you never see her letting her ego lead the way or sticking her foot in her mouth. Whereas that can be quite a common thing among auto company executives, Li is quite unassuming, responsible, and right on point. “I feel incredibly honoured to receive this prestigious recognition,” Stella Li said. “This award is the result of the highly appreciated 110,000 BYD R&D engineers who continue to make EVs and Super Hybrid DM-i technology available for all of us. I am glad to play my part in putting these sustainable technologies in the hands of as many consumers as possible around the world.” Look at that — immediately turning the attention to BYD’s numerous engineers.

Jens Meiners, Chair Emeritus of the World Car Awards, added: “Stella Li has impressed the World Car judging panel with her exceptional work as a key figure in BYD’s continued global growth. Her vision and drive has seen BYD become a major player on the automotive stage in a short space of time, and her influence is not only felt within BYD, but across the automotive industry as a whole. We’re delighted to announce Stella as the World Car Person of the Year 2025.” Indeed. It was a superb selection. Congratulations, Ms. Li. Well deserved after years of tremendous leadership and achievement.