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BYD surpasses Tesla in European EV sales for first time
BYD's sales grew 169% to 7,231 units

BYD surpasses Tesla in European EV sales for first time

May 23, 2025
04:26 pm

What's the story

For the first time, Chinese automaker BYD has beaten Tesla in the European battery electric vehicle (BEV) market. BYD sold 7,231 BEVs in April, according to data from Jato Dynamics, a market research firm. The number marks a whopping year-on-year growth of 169%. Meanwhile, Tesla's sales declined by 49% with just 7,165 units sold in the same period.

Market shift

Tesla's market dominance challenged by BYD's growth

Felipe Munoz, a global analyst at Jato Dynamics, spoke about this major shift in the European car market. He said, "Although the difference between the two brands' monthly sales totals may be small, the implications are enormous." Munoz further emphasized that "this is a watershed moment for Europe's car market," given Tesla's years-long dominance in the segment and BYD's expansion beyond Norway and Netherlands in late 2022.

Market trends

European bev market sees overall growth

Despite Tesla's sales slump, the appetite for BEVs in Europe stayed strong last month. As per Jato Dynamics, BEVs accounted for 17% of the 1.1 million new cars registered on the continent in April. This is an increase from 13.4% a year ago. Meanwhile, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) made up 9% of sales, up from 6.9% a year ago.

Trade challenges

Chinese automakers drive growth despite trade barriers

Chinese carmakers have played a major role in this growth, Jato Dynamics said. Despite the high tariffs levied by the EU, the BEV sales of Chinese firms jumped by 59% year-on-year in April to nearly 15,300 units. Meanwhile, carmakers from Europe, Japan, South Korea and the US only saw a 26% increase in sales.