BYD delivered 557,090 fully electric vehicles in the second quarter of 2026. The Chinese automaker has reclaimed the lead in global battery-electric vehicle sales from Tesla.
BYD’s Q2 figure, compiled by Bloomberg, exceeds Tesla’s expected deliveries of around 396,500 vehicles by more than 160,000 units. Tesla is scheduled to report its official numbers on July 2.
The result reverses Q1 standings. Tesla had reclaimed the global lead that quarter after delivering 358,023 vehicles while BYD faced lower domestic sales following the end of China’s EV purchase-tax exemption.
BYD’s growth now stems from expanding exports to Europe, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. The company has told analysts it expects overseas sales to reach 1.5 million vehicles in 2026.
Tesla’s volume has stopped growing while BYD’s continues to climb. Wall Street consensus for Tesla sits near 406,000 vehicles.
