After years of trading quarterly blows, BYD has officially overtaken Tesla as the world’s largest manufacturer of all-electric vehicles (BEVs) for the full year of 2025.
And it wasn’t even close.
While we are still waiting for some final granular data from other markets, the numbers released by BYD and Tesla this week paint a very clear picture of two companies moving in opposite directions.
According to data released, BYD ended 2025 with 2,254,714 all-electric vehicles sold. That represents a massive 27.9% year-over-year increase for its battery-electric lineup.
In comparison, Tesla reported 1,636,129 deliveries for the full year of 2025, marking an approximate 9% decline from 2024.
This means BYD outsold Tesla by over 600,000 all-electric vehicles last year.
And to be clear, we are only talking about all-electric vehicles here. BYD sold a total of 4,550,036 vehicles in 2025, with plug-in hybrids accounting for the difference.
Interestingly, the split between their powertrains is now nearly 50/50. BEVs accounted for 49.6% of BYD’s sales, while PHEVs made up 50.4% (2,288,709 units). While BYD’s BEV sales surged, their PHEV sales actually dropped by 7.9% compared to 2024.
It seems the market is naturally transitioning toward full electrics, even within BYD’s own lineup.
Another bright spot for BYD is its international performance. The company’s overseas sales surpassed 1 million units for the first time, up 150% from the previous year. While they are facing headwinds in their domestic market, where sales were down significantly in late 2025 due to fierce competition.
However, it shows that BYD’s export strategy is paying off at the right time.
Meanwhile, Tesla has struggled with a stale vehicle lineup. The refreshed Model Y and Model 3 have helped, but the lack of a cheaper, next-generation platform has clearly hurt the company’s ability to grow volumes in 2025.
Electrek’s Take
If Tesla had real management and an independent board, it would be a wake-up call for the company, but unfortunately, it is ruled by a moron tyrant.
For a decade, Tesla was the only game in town when it came to volume EV production. It was growing at 50% per year for a decade, but now it is down 9%.
It is disappointing to see Tesla losing ground because it failed to execute on the next phase of their growth. While BYD is flooding the market with models in every segment, from the tiny Seagull to luxury sedans, Tesla is still relying on the same two cars for 95% of its volume. Literally.
The fact that BYD’s PHEV sales are dropping while their BEV sales are surging is also a great sign. It validates what we’ve always said: hybrids are a transition technology. The end game is all-electric, and BYD is now winning that game.
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