BYD overtakes Tesla as the world's top EV seller in 2025
Big news in the EV world: BYD, the Chinese automaker, has officially surpassed Tesla to become the biggest electric vehicle seller globally in 2025.
While Tesla delivered 1.64 million vehicles (down 9% from last year), BYD crossed two million electric vehicle sales for the first time.
Why is this happening now?
Tesla's drop comes from a mix of things—European sales fell by 28%, shipments from Shanghai slowed down most of this year, and a US tax credit that boosted sales expired at the end of September.
Meanwhile, BYD saw its own EV sales jump by 28%, with total sales hitting 4.6 million units and even an eye-catching 880% surge in the UK.
What does it mean for you?
BYD's growth is partly thanks to more affordable options, while all current Teslas are priced above $30,000 (with new models starting closer to $40K).
Looking ahead, Tesla is betting big on self-driving tech and robotaxis like its Cybercab (now testing in Austin and Bay Area), plus its Optimus robots—which Elon Musk says could make up most of Tesla's future value.
Despite these changes, investors still see Tesla as a major player with a $1.5 trillion market cap.