BYD Surpasses Tesla as World's Largest Electric Carmaker in 2025
In 2025, China's BYD overtook Tesla to become the world's largest electric carmaker, delivering 2.26 million battery electric vehicles (BEVs) compared with Tesla's 1.63 million.
BYD's total car sales for the year reached 4.55 million, which included 2.26 million BEVs, 2.29 million plug-in hybrids, and 57,000 commercial vehicles. This marks a 28% increase in BYD's electric car sales compared to previous years.
Tesla, on the other hand, experienced a decline with deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2025 at 418,200 and a 9% drop in full-year deliveries compared to 2024.
The rise of BYD reflects a growing strength of Chinese automakers and their expanding exports, with companies like SAIC and Chery (under brands Omoda and Jaecoo) also gaining prominence.
Factors contributing to Tesla's weaker performance include the withdrawal of electric vehicle subsidies and the removal of emissions regulations during Donald Trump's administration.
Founded in 1995 by Wang Chuanfu as a battery company and headquartered in Shenzhen, BYD had already produced more vehicles overall than Tesla when considering hybrids, further solidifying its leadership in the automotive industry.
