Building on BYD's milestone of surpassing Tesla with 2.26 million BEV sales in 2025 versus Tesla's 1.64 million deliveries, industry leaders highlight China's dominance while global EV growth accelerates toward 40-50% market share by 2030.
BYD's overtake of Tesla underscores China's commanding position in the EV sector. Capturing a 12.1% global share compared to Tesla's 8.8%, BYD benefited from China's massive NEV market, where wholesale sales hit 13.78 million units from January to November (up 29% YoY), with BYD holding 32%. Exports jumped 200% to 1.05 million units, driven by affordable models gaining traction in Europe and Latin America.
Ford CEO Jim Farley noted the competitive chasm: “There’s no real competition from Tesla, GM or Ford with what we’ve seen from China. It is completely dominating the EV landscape globally and more outside China.” This reflects decades of Chinese state support contrasting with U.S. policy shifts, including the expiration of the $7,500 EV tax credit.
Tesla countered with sub-$40,000 Model Y and sub-$37,000 Model 3 variants in October, amid a Q4 delivery drop to 418,227 units (down 15-16%). Despite challenges, falling battery costs and regulations bolster EV adoption worldwide.