BYD Overtakes Tesla As Top Electric Car Seller

China’s BYD has leapfrogged Tesla to become the world’s biggest seller of battery-only electric cars in 2025, marking a clear turning point in the global auto market. The Shenzhen firm moved 2.26 million battery electric vehicles (BEVs) during the year, compared with Tesla’s 1.63 million deliveries. The shift highlights how Chinese manufacturers have used the move to electric drivetrains to scale fast. BYD’s BEV volumes climbed 28% year-on-year despite a soft finish to December, while its overall vehicle sales reached 4.55 million in 2025. The company also more than doubled sales of commercial EVs — buses and trucks — to 57,000, underlining its widening footprint beyond passenger cars. Tesla’s weaker year is linked to several headwinds. Deliveries dropped to 418,200 in the final quarter, below analyst expectations, leaving the firm’s 2025 total down about 9% from 2024. Observers point to the rollback of US incentives and emissions rules under President Trump as a material hit to demand, alongside consumer unease after the company’s public entanglement with divisive politics. Tesla even published its own sales forecast late in the year, an unusual step aimed at tempering investor expectations. Yet the picture isn’t simply about unit counts. Tesla remains by far the most valuable carmaker, with a market capitalisation around $1.4 trillion — more than the next 30 carmakers combined — as investors wager on its potential in robotics and artificial intelligence. The company has started a limited robotaxi service in Austin and continues to stress autonomous features as its differentiator. Competition on autonomy won’t be straightforward. Chinese rivals, including BYD, have been developing similar technologies — BYD’s camera-and-software package, marketed as “God’s Eye,” is now offered even on lower-priced models. Meanwhile, other state-backed groups such as SAIC and private names like Chery are boosting exports, bringing more contender models into international markets. The wider EV market has kept expanding but at a slower pace than once hoped. Manufacturers have sliced prices to win buyers, and governments have eased some of the original aggressive timelines for phasing out petrol cars. For British drivers weighing their next purchase, the story is clear: EV competition is intensifying, models are widening, and the era of a single dominant brand appears to be over. --- Managing your business finances? TaxAce provides smart online accountancy services for UK businesses with flexible monthly plans. Image and reporting: https://www.theguardian.com | Read original article