China's BYD overtakes Tesla in Europe for the first time in 'watershed moment'
- BYD overtook Tesla for sales in Europe in April 2025
- The Chinese maker has slowly grown over the past 12 months
- Tesla is having a shocking time when it comes to sales of its EVs
Published on May 22, 2025 at 8:50 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on May 22, 2025 at 8:50 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
In a watershed moment, China’s BYD has overtaken Tesla when it comes to sales in Europe.
It’s no secret that Elon Musk’s Tesla is having a tricky time at the moment, largely down to the CEO’s controversial opinions and political involvement.
However, it’s perhaps still a shock to see how BYD, a relative newcomer in the EV world, has usurped its biggest rival in such a short space of time.
With more BYDs now on Europe’s roads, the question is whether it can continue this, and perhaps even make it to the United States.
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The month of April was a particularly strong one for the Chinese EV manufacturer.
It had gone about an aggressive push when it came to marketing.
And it’s clearly paid off, beating Tesla by just under 100 vehicles.
JATO Dynamics, a research firm, released the information in May 2025.
BYD was able to sell 7,231 fully-electric vehicles in April 2025, versus the 7,165 of Tesla.
It was a small margin for the Chinese manufacturer, but JATO analyst Felipe Munoz called it a ‘watershed moment.’
Whatever you think of Musk, this has underlined a big shift in how buyers in Europe shop for electric cars.
One of the advantages is that Chinese EVs cost a fraction of their rivals, yet offer the same, if not more, features.
This is even though the European Union recently imposed tariffs to protect domestic manufacturers.
BYD has seen its sales jump by a whopping 171 percent versus April 2024, an incredible achievement.
Such is its rise, that it has seen Tesla sales plunge by 49 percent over the course of 2025.
BYD is rapidly expanding, having initially begun selling its cars in Norway and the Netherlands.
It is currently building a factory in Hungary, with another coming in Turkey.
The country can export cars to the EU without having to pay tariffs.
While some are uneasy about buying Chinese EVs, it’s clear from reviews that BYD’s products are very tempting.
Now, we will have to watch its sales over May 2025 and see if it increases its advantage over Tesla.
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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
