BYD outsold Tesla in Europe for the first time in April, delivering 7,231 electric vehicles compared to Tesla’s 7,165, according to data from JATO Dynamics.
The Chinese manufacturer has now entered the top 10 most-registered all-electric car brands in Europe, a significant milestone considering its limited presence in the region until recently.
Tesla’s European sales dropped 49% compared to April 2024. This follows February’s 44% year-over-year decline. Industry experts point to Elon Musk’s involvement in the Trump administration and his support for right-wing political parties in Germany and the UK as factors in Tesla’s challenging start to 2025.
“Although the difference between the two brands’ monthly sales totals may be small, the implications are enormous,” said Felipe Muñoz, global analyst at JATO Dynamics.
“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.”
The Model Y remained Tesla’s best-selling vehicle in Europe despite the overall decline.
Chinese EV manufacturers are gaining momentum across Europe. Battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles represented 26% of all new car registrations in April, with Chinese all-electric brands accounting for 17% of this figure – a 13.4% increase from last year.
The European EV market as a whole showed strong growth last month. Total sales reached 184,312 units, 28% higher than April 2024.
Škoda’s new Elroq led all EV sales with 8,000 units registered.
Volkswagen Group dominated the rankings with its ID.3, ID.7, and ID.4 models taking second, third, and fourth positions respectively. The Škoda Enyaq secured ninth place, further strengthening the group’s market position.
