From 2020 to 2025, the Chinese automaker conquered 19 markets that were led by Elon Musk’s company
The Chinese automaker has been gaining ground in the last 5 years in its competition with the North American one. According to data compiled by the Japanese NikkeiTesla surpassed BYD in sales in 44 countries in 2020. In 2025, the scenario was reversed, with the Chinese leading sales of electric cars in 40 markets, against 26 for the North American.
The survey includes more countries in 2025, with a total of 76 national markets compared to 54 in 2020. When comparing the countries evaluated from the beginning to the end of the period, there were 19 BYD turnovers, including in countries such as Brazil, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia and Spain.
The main turning points were in Europe. In 2020, Tesla surpassed the Chinese automaker in all countries, but BYD’s electric cars have increasingly gained acceptance among the European public. The company’s electric car sales on the continent.
The tendency is for BYD to become even stronger in Europe after the EU (European Union) and China against Chinese cars on the continent. The company was affected by the European tax rate, but, according to the agreement signed in January this year, it will have the opportunity to circumvent the tariff if it commits to investing on the continent and detailing its sales channels.
Last year, BYD surpassed Tesla for the first time as the world leader in the sale of electric vehicles. The Chinese company sold around 2.25 million battery-powered cars in 2025, an increase of almost 28% compared to 2024.
The North American company sold approximately 1.64 million electric vehicles, a 9% drop compared to 2024, when it sold approximately 1.79 million.
BYD and Tesla are the brands most associated with the expansion of electric cars in the global automotive market and this rivalry becomes even more emblematic when considering the trade dispute between China and the United States – especially at a time when the automotive and technology sectors are increasingly intertwined.
