Tesla lost its position as the world’s largest battery electric vehicle (BEV) seller in 2025 after a sharp decline in fourth-quarter deliveries, allowing Chinese automaker BYD to take the top spot, according to industry data.
Tesla delivered 418,227 vehicles globally in the fourth quarter, below a median analyst estimate of 420,399 units disclosed by the company in late December. Deliveries were down 15.6% from a year earlier and fell 15.9% from the previous quarter, the company said.
See also: Tesla Q4 Deliveries Fall 15% to 418,227, Marking Second Straight Annual Decline
BYD, meanwhile, reported continued growth in BEV sales, with fourth-quarter passenger BEV deliveries reaching a record 650,811 units, up 9.3% year-on-year and 11.7% from the previous quarter. Full-year BEV sales for BYD rose to 2.26 million vehicles in 2025, surpassing Tesla’s 1.64 million units for the first time, according to data compiled by industry tracker CnEVPost.
On an annual basis, BYD’s BEV sales increased 27.9% from 2024, while Tesla’s fell 8.6%. BYD also sells plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, with PHEV deliveries totaling 2.29 million units in 2025, though that figure was down 7.9% from the previous year.
See also: BYD’s NEV Sales Fall 18.3% in December to 420,398 Units as Overseas Deliveries Hit Record 133,172
Tesla faced additional pressure in Europe, where new vehicle registrations for the first 11 months of 2025 fell 28% from a year earlier to 203,382 units, according to industry data. Analysts have partly attributed the decline to heightened competition and public scrutiny linked to the political activities of Tesla chief executive Elon Musk. Over the same period, BYD’s European registrations surged 276% to nearly 160,000 units.
In China, Tesla also recorded weaker performance amid intensified competition, with retail sales from January to November declining 7.4% year-on-year to 531,855 vehicles. December figures and final full-year results are expected later this month.
