According to data from JATO Dynamics, Chinese automaker BYD has overtaken Tesla in electric vehicle sales across Europe for the first time. In April, BYD registered 7,231 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in Europe, narrowly surpassing Tesla’s 7,165 units. This milestone is particularly striking given Tesla’s long-standing dominance in the region and BYD’s relatively recent expansion beyond Norway and the Netherlands, which only began in late 2022.
“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,” JATO Dynamics’ global analyst Felipe Munoz said. The surge in BYD’s sales comes despite the European Union’s tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, with registrations of Chinese EVs rising 59% year-over-year in April. In contrast, automakers from Europe, Japan, South Korea, and the United States saw a more modest 26% increase in BEV registrations during the same period.
The overall European electric vehicle market remains robust, with battery electric vehicle registrations climbing 28% in April compared to the previous year, largely propelled by Chinese manufacturers. BYD’s strong performance also extends beyond Tesla, as it has outpaced established European brands like Fiat and Seat in markets such as France.
Tesla, on the other hand, is grappling with several challenges. The company reported its first annual delivery decline last year and is expected to see further drops in 2025 after a 13% decrease in the first quarter. Elon Musk acknowledged that Tesla has turned around sales in regions outside Europe, but the brand’s European demand has been hit hard by protests linked to Musk’s political views. Production halts to retool factories for the redesigned Model Y also contributed to lower output and sales early this year. Analysts further suggest that many customers are delaying purchases, awaiting more affordable versions of Tesla’s best-selling Model Y.
This development signals a significant reshaping of the European EV landscape, with BYD’s rapid ascent challenging Tesla’s previously uncontested leadership and reflecting broader shifts in consumer preferences and geopolitical factors influencing the market.
