BYD Surpasses Tesla in European EV Sales for the First Time in April with 169% Surge; Tesla Sees 45% Q1 Decline, Musk Reaffirms CEO Role for Five More Years

According to Jiemian News on May 22, BYD’s electric vehicle sales in Europe exceeded those of Tesla for the first time, marking a significant milestone for the Chinese automaker in the European EV market. Data from market research firm Jato Dynamics shows BYD registered 7,231 new electric vehicles in April, a 169% increase year-on-year, placing it among the top ten EV brands by sales. In comparison, Tesla’s registration volume fell by 49%, resulting in a one-rank drop. When including plug-in hybrid vehicles, BYD’s lead becomes more evident, with total sales rising by 359% year-on-year.

On May 20, during the Qatar Economic Forum, Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated he expects to remain in his role for the next five years unless he dies. He added that the company does not face demand issues globally, though he acknowledged Europe as the weakest market.

According to Securities Times e Company, data from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association indicates that EU new car registrations declined 1.9% year-on-year in the first quarter. Electric and hybrid vehicles continued gaining market share, while traditional fuel vehicles experienced significant losses. Tesla’s Q1 new car sales in Europe dropped by 45% year-on-year. Multiple sources, including Statista, reported a widespread decline across major European markets in the first quarter of 2025. In Germany, Denmark, and Sweden, Tesla’s year-on-year sales dropped by over 50%, with the Netherlands also seeing nearly a 50% drop.

Detailed figures show Tesla’s March registrations in Germany fell 76% year-on-year to 1,429 units, matching February's 76% decline. In Denmark, March registrations dropped 65.6% to 593 units, while Sweden recorded a 63.9% drop to 911 units. In France, Tesla registered 3,157 EVs in March, down 36.8% year-on-year, and Q1 sales declined 41.1% year-on-year.

Some analysts attribute Tesla’s cooling performance in Europe to aging vehicle models. The rapid rise of Chinese EV brands has introduced more competitively priced alternatives. Additionally, a series of political remarks by Elon Musk has reportedly triggered negative sentiment among European consumers.

On April 22, Tesla released its Q1 2025 financial results. Although market expectations had already been lowered, the results still came in below consensus estimates. Revenue for the quarter was $19.34 billion, down 9% year-on-year, while net income fell 71% year-on-year to $409 million.

In the automotive segment, Tesla’s Q1 revenue stood at approximately $14 billion, marking a 20% year-on-year decline. The company delivered 336,700 vehicles, a 13% decrease from the same period last year. Model 3 and Model Y deliveries fell by 12%, while other models saw a 24% decline.

In contrast, BYD reported total sales of 380,089 vehicles in April 2025, an increase of 21.3% year-on-year, with 372,615 passenger vehicles sold—up 19.4% year-on-year.

Specifically, the BYD Dynasty and Ocean series sold 347,053 units, a 16.5% increase. Fangchengbao recorded 10,039 units, up 375.8%. Denza sold 15,388 units, up 38.4%, and Yangwang registered 135 units. Overseas sales of passenger cars and pickups reached 78,705 units, a 91.9% increase year-on-year.