BYD outsold Tesla in Europe for the first time in April in what was described as a “watershed moment” for the brand.
According to JATO Dynamics’ data, BYD registered 7,231 BEVs in Europe last month, while Tesla registered 7,165 units.
“Although the difference between the two 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, while BYD only officially began operations beyond Norway and the Netherlands in late 2022,” said Felipe Munoz, Global Analyst at JATO Dynamics
Tesla reported another monthly drop in April, with total volumes down 49% year on year. In contrast, BYD saw an increase of 359% over the same period thanks to its broad and competitive line up of fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.
A total of 1,078,521 cars were registered in Europe in April, just0.1% ahead year on year.
Year-to-date registrations, covering the period between January and April 2025, totalled 4,467,681 units, or just 6,560 more than during the same period of 2024.
Jato said the tariffs imposed by the European Union on electric vehicles made in China earlier this year had an initial negative impact on the sales of Chinese automakers, forcing these carmakers to look for other solutions.
It said Chinese carmakers selling cars in Europe have since responded by expanding and diversifying their European line-up with the introduction of plug-in hybrids, which have not yet been targeted by EU tariffs.
