BYD sold 4.6 million units in 2025 – Chinese brand could overtake Tesla in EV sales with 2.26 million units

According to a report by Reuters, BYD’s sales growth in 2025 stood at 7.73%, its weakest pace in five years. With 4.6 million units sold last year, the Chinese automaker managed to hit its target, which was revised downwards from 5.5 million in July as it faced competition from Geely and Leapmotor in the budget segment.

Data in a stock filing revealed that sales of BYD vehicles in December 2025 dropped 18.3% from a year earlier, extending declines for a fourth month and marking the largest monthly drop in nearly two years.

In overseas markets, sales of BYD vehicles last year reached 1,046,083 units, which represents a 150.7% increase from 2024. Focusing on electric vehicles (EVs) alone, BYD managed to deliver 2.26 million EVs in 2025, marking a 27.9% increase that could see the Chinese brand outsell Tesla for the first time in annual EV sales.

Bloomberg reports that while BYD ended 2025 on a positive note with a growth in sales, the company will face growing pressure in 2026 as China scales back incentives on EV purchases while also cracking down on aggressive discounting. New models from competitors further fuel the strong competition in its home market, while trade barriers may limit its overseas reach.

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