The World Car Awards has announced that Stella Li, executive vice president of BYD, is the winner of the 2025 World Car Person of the Year. This is historic, as it not only marks the first time a woman has received the prestigious award since its inception in 2018 but also a milestone for BYD, as it becomes the first Chinese carmaker to win a World Car award.

Li was selected by a jury of 96 international automotive journalists from 30 countries, including Autocar India's Hormazd Sorabjee and Renuka Kirpalani, who were also considering chief design officer of Stellantis Ralph Gilles and head of design and chief branding officer of Toyota Simon Humphries for the prestigious award. The jury chose Li for her contribution to the global automotive industry during the previous calendar year. She has been a key figure in BYD’s growth in global markets, with a host of model debuts, entry into new markets, and passing the impressive milestone of producing its 10-millionth new energy vehicle.

Jens Meiners, World Car Awards Chair Emeritus, said, “Stella Li has impressed the World Car judging panel with her exceptional work as a key figure in BYD’s continued global growth. Her international vision and drive have 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 2025 World Car Person of the Year.” 

Commenting on being named 2025 World Car Person of the Year, Stella Li said, “I am incredibly honoured to receive this prestigious award. This award is the result of the 1,10,000 R&D engineers at BYD who continue to provide us with the latest technological advances that are reflected in our electric vehicles and Super Hybrid DM-i technology. I am glad to play my part in putting these sustainable technologies in the hands of as many consumers as possible around the world.” 

Previous World Car Person of the Year recipients were: Adrian Newey OBE, then CTO of Red Bull Racing and soon to join Aston Martin’s Formula One team (2024); SangYup Lee, executive vice president, head of Hyundai and Genesis Global Design Center, Hyundai Motor Company (2023); Luc Donckerwolke, executive vice president for Design and chief creative officer, Hyundai Motor Group (2022); Akio Toyoda, president and CEO, Toyota Motor Corporation (2021); Carlos Tavares, CEO of PSA Group (2020); the late Sergio Marchionne, CEO, FCA; chairman, CNH Industrial; and chairman and CEO, Ferrari (2019); and Håkan Samuelsson, president and CEO, Volvo Car Group (2018).