China’s BYD has outsold Tesla in Europe for the first time, despite steep tariffs, according to data from JATO Dynamics. The Chinese automaker saw a nearly 170% increase in battery-powered car sales in April, surpassing the growth of all electric cars. BYD sold 7,231 fully battery-powered cars in Europe last month, while Tesla sold 7,165. Analyst Felipe Munoz calls this a “watershed moment” for Europe’s car market.
Tesla’s struggles continue in Europe, with sales plummeting 49% year over year in April and dropping the company to 11th place in rankings. Volkswagen tops the list of electric car sales in April, with over 23,500 new registrations, up roughly 60%. BYD is building factories in Hungary and Turkey, which can export cars to Europe without tariffs, and plans to establish its European headquarters there, creating 2,000 jobs.
BYD’s rapid expansion throughout Europe has led to it outselling established brands like Fiat, Dacia, and Seat. The company’s aggressive push into the continent is paying off, as European buyers increasingly favor Chinese electric cars over locally made alternatives.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/22/business/china-byd-tesla-sales-ev-europe.html