BYD set to overtake Tesla as top EV seller by 2025
Looks like Tesla's run at the top is ending—Chinese automaker BYD is on track to become the world's biggest electric vehicle (EV) seller in 2025.
By November, BYD had already sold 2.07 million EVs, leaving Tesla behind at 1.22 million sales through September.
Even with a short-term boost from expiring US tax credits, Tesla's full-year sales are expected to reach just 1.65 million—still trailing BYD.
How each company is adapting
BYD isn't slowing down—it's expanding globally, building factories in places like Hungary to navigate an increasingly complicated global tariff environment and reach more buyers.
As Jing Yang from Fitch Ratings points out, this global push helps cushion against market ups and downs.
Meanwhile, Tesla faces tough competition and some political drama at home, so it's betting big on self-driving tech with plans for an autonomous robotaxi launch in April 2026 to spark new interest.