BYD Claims Global EV Crown from Tesla for the First Time
The long-standing dominance of Tesla in the electric vehicle market has officially come to an end. Chinese automaker BYD surpassed its American rival in annual sales of fully electric cars for the first time in 2025.
This milestone marks a significant shift in the automotive industry after years of the sales gap narrowing between the two companies. While Tesla formerly held a comfortable lead, fierce competition and market changes have redefined the leaderboard.
According to recent data, BYD delivered approximately 2.26 million battery-electric vehicles throughout 2025. In comparison, Tesla ended the year with roughly 1.64 million deliveries.
The results paint a worrying picture for the American manufacturer, as its sales numbers have dropped for the second year in a row. For context, Tesla delivered 1.79 million vehicles in 2024, meaning their 2025 performance represents a significant slide.
Tesla’s fourth quarter was particularly difficult, with deliveries falling to 418,227 units. This indicates a drop of roughly 15.6 percent compared to the same period the previous year.
Analysts point to several factors causing this decline, including an aging vehicle lineup and brand perception issues. Meanwhile, competitors—especially in Europe—are aggressively pushing newer and more affordable models that appeal to a wider range of buyers.
BYD is not just winning in the pure electric category; their total volume is massive when hybrids are included. The company sold a total of 4.55 million vehicles in 2025 across all powertrain types.
Exports have become a major pillar of BYD’s strategy, with the company selling a record one million vehicles outside of China. This international expansion has helped them offset domestic pressures and capture market share in regions where Tesla was once the default choice.
Do you think Tesla can recover its top spot with new models, or is BYD’s dominance here to stay? Let us know what you think in the comments.
