- China’s BYD is believed to have officially overtaken Tesla in annual global electric vehicle sales for the first time ever.
- BYD had previously outpaced Tesla in sales on a quarterly basis, but in all of 2025, the Chinese automaker outpaced it by more than 600,000 vehicles.
- BYD is quickly making its way into other markets, including Europe and Latin America, and through local production.
The world has a new king in electric car sales.
On Friday, preliminary sales data revealed the Chinese juggernaut BYD It sold more electric cars than Tesla in 2025, marking the first time in more than a decade that any rival automaker has outperformed Elon Musk.
according to Latest Tesla numbersthe company sold 1.64 million electric vehicles worldwide in 2025, down 9% from the 1.79 million electric vehicles it shipped in 2024. But BYD led by more than 600,000 vehicles, closing 2025 with 2.26 million electric vehicles sold.
Previously, BYD had It surpassed Tesla in global car sales Because it also makes plug-in hybrids, whereas Tesla does not, it therefore offers broader appeal beyond its core EV base. But the 2025 sales result is a first, at least Since the days of the original Nissan Leaf– Tesla has been surpassed in sales of purely electric cars.
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Source: Andrej Nedelya
The result may not be surprising, given that there is no guarantee for an automaker to stay ahead forever. But it’s worth explaining how this happened and what it means for the wider global electric car race.
While Musk may have had it once Make fun of BYD productsthe Shenzhen-based company has seen a rapid rise in recent years, even if that rise has not been seen by Americans because its cars are not currently sold in the United States. The company, which started out manufacturing cell phone batteries before branching out into cars, has expanded its lineup of electric and hybrid vehicles significantly since the early 2010s. It has also followed the Lexus-like playbook, launching new luxury brands such as Yanguang and Denza.
Photography: Kevin Williams/InsideEVs
Perhaps more than any other Chinese automaker at the moment, BYD is successfully implementing significant international expansion. It was BYD Tesla has been outselling Europe for several monthsand customize its offers to suit local tastes with cars such as New hybrid real estate vehicle.
It has evolved Five-minute EV fast charging padwhich will also bring it to Europe this year, and is building European manufacturing as well. Factories are scheduled to open in Türkiye and southern Hungary in the next few months Spain is looking forward to a third goal. Meanwhile, BYD is also moving quickly latin americaand Japan (incl With electric car) and the Middle East. So, even as sales slow in its native China amid a brutal price war, BYD has been able to offset any losses with its international presence.
By contrast, Tesla publicly admits it is less interested in selling cars and more focused on realizing the future Centered around self-driving Robotaxis. while Tesla Model Y It remains an international bestseller –the The best-selling car of 2025, according to unconfirmed claims – the rest of the company’s lineup is not much different from what it was five years ago. The Cybertruck isn’t available everywhere and has seen a sharp decline in sales, and the only Tesla EVs moving in real volume are the Model Y and Model 3. The new Roadster sports car has been repeatedly delayed, but when or if it debuts, Tesla said it’s the last car it will make with a steering wheel before self-driving dictates everything else it does.
Editor’s Choice for the 2026 InsideEVs Breakthrough Awards: Tesla Model Y
Photo: Mac Hogan/InsideEVs
The lack of new models is a particular problem in China, the world’s largest and most competitive electric vehicle market that is being shaped in Tesla’s image. But Tesla’s sales have suffered elsewhere because the company’s image is closely tied to Musk, who has proven more controversial than ever in 2025 with his efforts to bring down the US federal government. Unlucky alliance With President Donald Trump and support for far-right political candidates in Europe. Musk’s vocal policy has led to… Widespread protests and boycotts Against the Tesla brand on two continents, Trump’s own policies also ended tax breaks for electric cars in America – a factor that certainly hurt its sales in the domestic market.
In the long term, it may be unwise to continue comparing Tesla to BYD. The first company appears to be moving towards a company that specializes in artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomy. But the latter seems determined to be like the Chinese Toyota or General Motors. Unfortunately for Tesla, BYD also has the scale, capital, and technology to develop its own cars Self-driving cars Even taxis without a driver In partnership with Uber.
But one thing is clear: More than ever before, the global electric car race has gone beyond just one car company, and these numbers prove it.
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
