According to Jato Dynamics, a data and analytics provider for the automotive industry, BYD has overtaken Tesla in total battery electric vehicle (EV) sales in the European market in April 2025, for the first time in history.
Numbers from Jato Dynamics show that BYD has sold 7,231 BEVs (a 169% increase from April 2024) while Tesla sold 7,165 cars (49% year-on-year drop. Adding plug-in-hybrids (PHEV) into the equation, the difference in figures growth compared to Tesla grows tremendously as BYD saw a 359% increase in overall sales.
“Although the difference between the two brands’ monthly sales totals may be small, the implications are enormous,” said Jato Global automotive analyst, Felipe Munoz. “This is a watershed moment for Europe’s car market, particularly when you consider that Tesla has led the European BEV market for years, while BYD only officially began operations beyond Norway and the Netherlands in late 2022.”
Moreover, Chinese carmakers were also hit by tariffs for EVs in Europe. While that has forced them to diversify their line-up in the region with PHEVs, the fact that BYD’s EV sales alone has overtaken that of Tesla’s says a lot about the latter’s recent struggles – especially with a backdrop of a 28% overall growth in Europe’s BEV market.
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“China is not only the world leader in BEVs; its [carmakers] are global leaders in plug-in hybrid vehicles too. To gain traction in Europe, its carmakers have responded to the threat posed by tariffs by focusing on other powertrains, such as plug-in hybrids, to maintain the momentum behind their global expansion plans,” Munoz added.
Tesla sales have not been performing ideally in the global market either – potentially due to the backlash from Musk’s multiple incendiary comments. Tesla’s sales numbers in the first quarter of 2025 show that the carmaker has delivered only 336,681 cars globally, some 50,000 less compared to the same period last year, marking the company’s worst figures in almost three years.
Jato’s report states that EV and PHEV sales now make up for 26% of total new car sales in Europe, with most of that growth coming from Chinese brands. The Chinese PHEV segment saw a 546% year-on-year increase in sales from 1,493 units in April 2024 to 9,649 units in April 2025.
Here in Malaysia, we are experiencing the Chinese boom in full scale. At the recent Malaysia Autoshow 2025, Chinese carmakers certainly brought their a-game when it comes to electrified vehicles – with no signs of slowing down.
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