Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD outsold US rival Tesla in Europe for the first time in April, according to new data released Thursday by auto market analysts Jato Dynamics.
BYD sold 7,231 fully electric vehicles across Europe in April, marking a 169% increase compared to the same month last year. Tesla, in contrast, delivered 7,165 EVs during the same period—a 49% year-on-year decline.
When plug-in hybrid vehicles are included, BYD’s lead widens even further. The company recorded a 359% year-on-year surge in total EV sales in Europe, attributed to its diverse and competitively priced lineup of battery electric and hybrid models.
“BYD’s rapid expansion has already pushed it ahead of established European brands—outselling Fiat, Dacia, and Seat in the UK; Fiat and Seat in France; Seat in Italy; and Fiat in Spain,” Jato said in a statement.
Jato analyst Felipe Munoz called the development a turning point for the continent’s EV market. “Although the sales gap is still narrow, the symbolic value is huge. Tesla has dominated the European EV space for years, while BYD only expanded beyond Norway and the Netherlands in late 2022.”
Tesla’s recent sales decline in Europe has been partly attributed to controversies surrounding CEO Elon Musk’s political comments and involvement in European affairs.
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