- BYD's full-year 2025 BEV sales reached 2,256,714 units, surpassing Tesla's 1,636,129 units for the first time.
- Tesla's full-year 2025 deliveries declined by 8.56%, driven by a significant drop in Europe and growth challenges in China.
Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) saw its global deliveries decline in the fourth quarter, allowing BYD (HKG: 1211, OTCMKTS: BYDDY) to overtake its top position in the global battery electric vehicle (BEV) market.
The US electric vehicle (EV) maker delivered 418,227 vehicles globally in the fourth quarter, falling short of the median analyst estimate of 420,399 units it disclosed on December 29, according to data released today.
The quarterly deliveries declined 15.61% year-on-year and were down 15.87% quarter-on-quarter.
Meanwhile, its Chinese rival BYD continued to see growth in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales during the fourth quarter, securing the top spot in annual BEV sales for 2025 for the first time.
BYD's passenger BEV sales reached a record 650,811 units in the fourth quarter, up 9.30% year-on-year and up 11.72% quarter-on-quarter.
| Quarter | Tesla Deliveries | BYD BEV Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 2020 | 88,400 | 18,110 |
| Q2 2020 | 90,650 | 28,151 |
| Q3 2020 | 139,300 | 32,088 |
| Q4 2020 | 180,570 | 52,621 |
| Q1 2021 | 184,800 | 38,599 |
| Q2 2021 | 201,250 | 54,841 |
| Q3 2021 | 241,300 | 91,684 |
| Q4 2021 | 308,600 | 135,686 |
| Q1 2022 | 310,048 | 143,223 |
| Q2 2022 | 254,695 | 180,296 |
| Q3 2022 | 343,830 | 258,610 |
| Q4 2022 | 405,278 | 329,011 |
| Q1 2023 | 422,875 | 264,647 |
| Q2 2023 | 466,140 | 352,163 |
| Q3 2023 | 435,059 | 431,603 |
| Q4 2023 | 484,507 | 526,409 |
| Q1 2024 | 386,810 | 300,114 |
| Q2 2024 | 443,956 | 426,039 |
| Q3 2024 | 462,890 | 443,426 |
| Q4 2024 | 495,570 | 595,413 |
| Q1 2025 | 336,681 | 416,388 |
| Q2 2025 | 384,122 | 606,993 |
| Q3 2025 | 497,099 | 582,522 |
| Q4 2025 | 418,227 | 650,811 |
BYD's full-year 2025 BEV sales reached 2,256,714 units, surpassing Tesla's 1,636,129 units for the first time, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.
| Year | Tesla Deliveries | BYD BEV Sales |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 499,550 | 130,970 |
| 2021 | 936,172 | 320,810 |
| 2022 | 1,313,851 | 911,140 |
| 2023 | 1,808,581 | 1,574,822 |
| 2024 | 1,789,226 | 1,764,992 |
| 2025 | 1,636,129 | 2,256,714 |
BYD's 2025 BEV sales grew 27.86% compared to 2024, while Tesla's declined 8.56%.
Beyond BEVs, BYD's passenger vehicle lineup includes plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), which recorded sales of 2,288,709 units in 2025 -- a 7.91% decline from 2024.
Tesla's European sales experienced a significant downturn in 2025, partly due to CEO Elon Musk's political involvement.
Tesla's new vehicle registrations in Europe for the first 11 months totaled 203,382 units, a 28.0% decrease from 282,335 units during the same period in 2024, according to a report by CnEVPost last month.
BYD's new vehicle registrations in Europe during the same period reached 159,869 units, a 276.0% increase compared to 42,517 units in the same period of 2024.
In China, intensified competition has posed challenges for Tesla. From January to November, Tesla's retail sales in China came in at 531,855 units, marking a 7.37% year-on-year decline. December and full-year 2025 data is expected to be available later this month.
