BYD Dethrones Tesla In European EV Sales For The First Time, Signaling A Growing Threat To Elon Musk's EV Empire

China's BYD Co. Ltd. BYDDY has surpassed Tesla Inc. TSLA for the first time in European sales.

What Happened: BYD registered 7,231 battery-electric vehicles in Europe in April, which was higher than Tesla's 7,165 units during the same period, market research firm JATO Dynamics reported on Thursday.

Although the difference between the two brands' monthly sales totals may be small, the implications are enormous. This is a watershed moment for Europe's car market, particularly when you consider that Tesla has led the European BEV market for years," JATO analyst Felipe Munoz said.

The report also suggests that BEV demand in the region has experienced a 28% YoY increase in April 2025, when compared with last year. Chinese brands have been driving the growth in the region, the report said.

While BYD experienced a surge, Tesla reported a 49% YoY drop in volumes in Europe, the report suggests. The drop in volumes signals a tough time for Elon Musk's EV giant. 

Why It Matters: The report comes in as BYD has launched the Dolphin Surf EV in Europe, which is based on the company's best-selling EV in China, called the Seagull. The dolphin surf is available for a price of $26,000.

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BYD's European push stems from the company's strategy pivot as the EV giant failed to meet growth targets due to a poor understanding of the region, as well as a lax dealership network, among other reasons.

However, the company has since developed its strategy and its new Hungarian manufacturing facility, capable of producing over 200,000 EVs annually, indicates BYD's aggressive push in Europe.

Elsewhere, Tesla has experienced a decline in sales in several European markets, largely driven by Musk's involvement in the Trump administration and Tesla's aging line-up of vehicles.

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