Electric Vehicle Market Shift: BYD Overtakes Tesla in Global Sales
Tuesday, 2026/01/06168 words3 minutes2096 reads
China's BYD has overtaken Tesla as the world's leading seller of electric vehicles, marking a significant shift in the global automotive industry. In 2025, BYD reported sales of over 2.25 million battery-powered cars, representing a 28% increase from the previous year. In contrast, Tesla experienced a decline in car deliveries for the second consecutive year, with sales dropping by nearly 9% to 1.64 million vehicles worldwide.
Tesla faced several challenges, including mixed reception to new offerings, concerns over Elon Musk's political activities, and intensifying competition from Chinese rivals. The company's sales were particularly affected in the last quarter of 2025, partly due to the repeal of a government subsidy for electric vehicles.
Despite BYD's impressive sales figures, Tesla has maintained higher profitability in recent quarters. BYD's success is largely attributed to its competitive pricing strategy and rapid expansion into international markets, including Latin America, Southeast Asia, and parts of Europe. Notably, the UK became BYD's largest market outside China, with sales surging by 880% in a single year.
