In a significant shift in Europe’s electric vehicle market, BYD outsold Tesla in battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations for the first time in April. BYD registered 7,231 BEVs, representing a 169 percent year-over-year increase, while Tesla saw 7,165 registrations, marking a 49 percent drop compared to the same period last year.
According to data from market research firm Jato Dynamics, which covers 28 European countries, new car registrations in April totaled 1,078,521 units, a slight increase of 1,399 units from April 2024. BYD’s strong performance placed it among the top 10 brands in BEV sales, ranking 10th, while Tesla fell to 11th place.
Felipe Munoz, global analyst at JATO, noted that while the difference in sales figures between the two brands was marginal, the implications are substantial. “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,” Munoz explained.
BYD’s growth in Europe is even more pronounced when including plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) models, with sales surging 359 percent over the same period. The company’s extensive and competitive lineup of pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids has enabled it to overtake established European auto brands, according to Jato’s report.
This development follows BYD’s recent success in the global BEV market, where it overtook Tesla in the first quarter. TrendForce reported that BYD held a 15.4 percent share of global BEV sales, while Tesla had 12.6 percent. BYD continues to strengthen its position in Europe with new model introductions. Yesterday, the company launched the Seagull compact electric vehicle (rebranded as Dolphin Surf in Europe) in 15 countries, bringing its total models available in Europe to 10.
