The Great EV Showdown: Tesla vs. BYD
In the wild world of electric vehicles, Tesla has long been the king of the hill. But it seems like this regal automaker has taken a step—or rather, a tumble—off its European throne. According to the latest figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), Tesla’s sales in Europe plummeted by a staggering 40% in July. Meanwhile, the upstart Chinese contender BYD is making waves with a jaw-dropping 225% sales increase. Talk about a plot twist!
EV Sales Surge, But Not for Tesla
You’d think a surge in electric vehicle sales, which rose 39.1% overall in July, would provide a comfy cushion for Tesla. But alas, that’s not the case. Yes, electric cars are selling like hotcakes—ice vehicles be darned. For a company that prides itself on innovation and staying ahead of the curve, being down 37% year-to-date in Europe is like trying to climb a mountain with a lead backpack.
| Manufacturer | July 2025 Share | July 2025 Units | July 2024 Units | July Change % | YTD 2025 Share | YTD 2025 Units | YTD 2024 Units | YTD Change % |
| Volkswagen Group | 28.2 | 306,543 | 274,659 | 11.6 | 26.8 | 2,118,545 | 2,044,448 | 3.6 |
| Volkswagen | 11.5 | 124,464 | 109,327 | 13.8 | 11.0 | 872,817 | 825,709 | 5.7 |
| Skoda | 7.1 | 77,591 | 59,442 | 30.5 | 6.2 | 490,531 | 440,832 | 11.3 |
| Audi | 4.9 | 52,971 | 59,147 | -10.4 | 4.8 | 381,095 | 404,240 | -5.7 |
| Cupra | 2.2 | 24,199 | 16,662 | 45.2 | 2.2 | 177,241 | 129,571 | 36.8 |
| Seat | 1.7 | 18,564 | 22,092 | -16.3 | 1.6 | 132,209 | 172,059 | -23.2 |
| Porsche | 0.7 | 7,801 | 6,413 | 21.8 | 0.7 | 57,777 | 64,826 | -10.9 |
| Others (VW) | 0.1 | 952 | 766 | 24.3 | 0.1 | 5,984 | 5,450 | 9.8 |
| Stellantis | 13.9 | 151,391 | 153,071 | -1.1 | 16.4 | 1,192,746 | 1,298,490 | -8.1 |
| Peugeot | 4.4 | 48,027 | 49,291 | -2.6 | 5.2 | 411,792 | 394,985 | 4.3 |
| Opel/Vauxhall | 3.3 | 36,279 | 35,337 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 241,385 | 267,479 | -9.8 |
| Citroen | 2.4 | 26,333 | 26,298 | 0.1 | 2.7 | 216,659 | 249,824 | -13.3 |
| Fiat | 2.1 | 21,321 | 23,862 | -10.7 | 2.1 | 172,692 | 200,084 | -13.6 |
| Jeep | 1.0 | 10,422 | 10,479 | -0.5 | 1.0 | 82,692 | 81,231 | 1.7 |
| Alfa Romeo | 0.4 | 4,317 | 3,197 | 35.0 | 0.4 | 38,127 | 28,487 | 34.0 |
| DS | 0.2 | 1,416 | 1,506 | -5.9 | 0.2 | 11,952 | 12,608 | -5.2 |
| Lancia/Chrysler | 0.1 | 905 | 2,843 | -68.2 | 0.2 | 7,401 | 9,263 | -20.3 |
| Others (Stellantis) | 0.1 | 549 | 501 | 9.6 | 0.1 | 5,846 | 3,875 | 50.9 |
| Renault Group | 9.6 | 104,194 | 95,784 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 812,116 | 767,674 | 5.8 |
| Renault | 4.6 | 49,559 | 48,285 | 2.6 | 5.6 | 443,682 | 411,762 | 7.8 |
| Dacia | 5.0 | 53,495 | 47,468 | 12.7 | 4.6 | 362,839 | 353,155 | 2.7 |
| Alpine | 0.1 | 140 | 39 | 261.3 | 0.1 | 595 | 294 | 102.3 |
| Hyundai Group | 8.5 | 91,918 | 93,934 | -2.3 | 8.2 | 631,027 | 658,162 | -4.1 |
| Hyundai | 4.5 | 45,347 | 46,362 | -2.2 | 4.2 | 316,492 | 329,627 | -4.0 |
| Kia | 3.9 | 42,671 | 46,390 | -7.0 | 4.0 | 314,535 | 328,944 | -4.2 |
| Toyota Group | 7.0 | 77,475 | 80,390 | -3.6 | 7.0 | 556,611 | 559,524 | -0.5 |
| Toyota | 6.6 | 71,376 | 74,172 | -3.8 | 6.7 | 510,094 | 557,039 | -0.5 |
| Lexus | 0.4 | 6,099 | 4,218 | 44.6 | 0.3 | 46,517 | 24,885 | 86.9 |
| BMW Group | 7.7 | 83,279 | 74,602 | 11.6 | 7.2 | 569,338 | 542,167 | 5.0 |
| BMW | 6.3 | 66,775 | 63,725 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 474,149 | 426,159 | 11.3 |
| Mini | 1.4 | 15,404 | 10,897 | 41.4 | 1.2 | 95,189 | 80,122 | 19.0 |
| Mercedes-Benz | 4.9 | 53,458 | 53,447 | 0.0 | 4.9 | 388,876 | 387,780 | 0.3 |
| Ford | 3.3 | 35,210 | 31,730 | 11.0 | 3.3 | 260,342 | 236,071 | 10.3 |
| Volvo Cars | 2.3 | 25,030 | 30,044 | -16.7 | 2.5 | 195,966 | 225,003 | -13.3 |
| Nissan | 1.9 | 23,882 | 25,002 | -4.8 | 1.8 | 187,969 | 198,459 | -5.3 |
| SAIC Motor | 2.1 | 23,316 | 20,769 | 12.3 | 2.2 | 176,415 | 149,729 | 17.8 |
| Suzuki | 1.0 | 10,242 | 11,934 | -14.2 | 1.1 | 106,860 | 112,857 | -5.3 |
| Tesla | 0.8 | 8,837 | 14,769 | -40.2 | 1.2 | 113,019 | 179,338 | -37.0 |
| Mazda | 0.8 | 8,772 | 10,795 | -18.7 | 0.9 | 91,175 | 101,475 | -10.2 |
| BYD | 1.2 | 13,503 | 4,151 | 225.3 | 1.0 | 84,416 | 21,612 | 290.6 |
| Jaguar Land Rover Group | 1.0 | 9,828 | 12,010 | -18.2 | 1.2 | 82,332 | 95,161 | -13.4 |
| Land Rover | 0.7 | 9,821 | 10,240 | -4.1 | 1.0 | 79,252 | 85,950 | -7.8 |
| Jaguar | 0.3 | 7 | 1,770 | -99.6 | 0.2 | 3,080 | 28,211 | -89.1 |
| Honda | 0.6 | 6,024 | 6,068 | -0.7 | 0.5 | 3,314 | 3,777 | -12.3 |
| Mitsubishi | 0.3 | 3,327 | 4,224 | -21.3 | 0.4 | 31,221 | 40,491 |
BYD: The New Kid on the Block
BYD, which has only been selling passenger vehicles in Europe for a mere three years, is making waves like a rock star at a quiet dinner party. In July, they sold 13,503 units compared to Tesla’s 8,837. At this dazzling pace, it’s not inconceivable that BYD could outproduce Tesla across the entire year—now that’s a spicy meatball in the automotive arena!
So, what does the future hold for these two titans of the electric vehicle market? Will Tesla find its footing, or will BYD continue to rise like a phoenix from the ashes? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure: it’s an electrifying saga to watch!
