BYD in April leapfrogged Tesla in electric vehicle sales in Europe for the first time, despite facing higher tariffs from the European Union—a quick success for the Chinese EV giant, partly due to Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s foray into US politics. BYD registered 7,231 battery electric vehicles in Europe last month, ranking 10th among the most-registered BEV brands on the continent, compared with 7,165 units registered by Tesla. Hyundai took the ninth spot, according to figures compiled by market research firm JATO Dynamics.
“Although the difference between the two brands’ monthly sales totals may be small, the implications are enormous. This is a watershed moment for Europe’s car market, particularly when you consider that Tesla has led the European BEV market for years, while BYD only officially began operations beyond Norway and the Netherlands in late 2022,” said Felipe Munoz, global analyst at JATO Dynamics. Chinese automakers led by BYD are also exporting a growing number of plug-in hybrid vehicles to the region, which have not yet been targeted by EU tariffs, according to JATO. [JATO Dynamics]
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