BYD Overtakes Tesla as World’s Top BEV Seller in 2025

Tesla lost its global battery electric vehicle crown in 2025 after deliveries fell sharply in the fourth quarter, allowing BYD to take the top spot for the first time. The shift followed a 15.61% year-over-year drop in Tesla’s Q4 deliveries and an 8.56% decline for the full year, while BYD posted continued growth and record annual BEV sales.

Tesla’s Q4 slide hands BYD the annual BEV lead

Tesla delivered 418,227 vehicles globally in the fourth quarter, missing the median analyst estimate of 420,399 units disclosed in late December. The result marked a 15.61% year-over-year decline and a 15.87% drop compared to the third quarter, underscoring growing pressure on Tesla’s global delivery momentum.

For full-year 2025, Tesla delivered 1,636,129 vehicles, down 8.56% from 2024. That contraction opened the door for BYD to claim the global BEV sales lead. BYD’s passenger BEV deliveries reached a record 650,811 units in Q4, rising 9.30% year over year and 11.72% quarter over quarter, according to data compiled by CNEVPost.

BYD’s full-year 2025 BEV sales climbed to 2,256,714 units, representing 27.86% growth from 2024 and surpassing Tesla’s annual total for the first time. While BYD also sells plug-in hybrid vehicles, its BEV-only performance was enough to secure the top global position despite a 7.91% annual decline in PHEV sales to 2,288,709 units.

Europe and China pressure Tesla as BYD surges overseas

Tesla’s struggles in 2025 were most visible in Europe, where deliveries dropped sharply amid intensifying competition and public scrutiny tied to CEO Elon Musk’s political involvement. New Tesla vehicle registrations across Europe totaled 203,382 units in the first 11 months of the year, down 28.0% from 282,335 units over the same period in 2024.

BYD moved in the opposite direction. Its European registrations surged 276.0% year over year to 159,869 units during the same January–November window, signaling rapidly expanding brand traction outside China. In Tesla’s other key market, China, competition also intensified. From January through November, Tesla’s retail sales in China fell 7.37% year over year to 531,855 units, with December and full-year figures still pending.

Together, the regional headwinds in Europe and China reshaped the global BEV leaderboard in 2025, marking a pivotal year in the increasingly competitive EV market.

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