BYD overtakes Tesla in European EV sales for first time

Chinese car maker BYD has sold more electric vehicles in Europe than Tesla for the first time, signaling a significant shift in the continent’s rapidly evolving EV market.

According to market researcher Jato Dynamics, BYD registered 7,231 new battery-electric vehicles in April, a remarkable 169% increase year-on-year, propelling the brand into Europe’s top 10 EV sellers. In contrast, Tesla’s registrations plummeted by 49%, placing it one spot behind BYD.

Felipe Munoz, an analyst at Jato Dynamics, underscored the importance of this development, stating: “Although the difference between the two car brands’ monthly sales totals may be small, the implications are enormous. This is a watershed moment for Europe’s car market, particularly when you consider that Tesla has led the European BEV market for years.”

This shift comes despite a broader acceleration in Europe’s EV segment, which saw industry-wide registrations rise by 28% in April. Volkswagen, for instance, recorded a 61% increase in electric car sales during the same period, with its Skoda brand more than tripling its EV registrations.

BYD’s lead over Tesla becomes even more pronounced when including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in the sales figures, with the Chinese company’s total sales soaring by 359% in April compared to the previous year, as reported by Jato.

Historically, BYD and other Chinese manufacturers focused primarily on fully electric cars in Europe, driven by the region’s ambitious emissions targets. However, this strategy has evolved following the European Union’s imposition of higher tariffs on Chinese-made EVs last year.

As a result, Chinese manufacturers are now significantly increasing their sales of plug-in hybrids in Europe. Maria Grazia Davino, BYD’s regional chief, confirmed this dual strategy, stating: “In the near future we’ll have two pillars. One is electric.”

BYD is set to further bolster its European EV lineup with the upcoming Dolphin Surf, an all-electric hatchback. The standard version, offering a range of 220 kilometers (137 miles), was recently shown in Berlin with a German price of €19,990 until the end of June, rising to €22,990 thereafter. 

Bloomberg