Tesla saw its sales in Europe fall by almost half year-over-year in July, as the electric vehicle maker faced growing competition from China's BYD.
CNN reports that Tesla's European sales fell by nearly 44% year-over-year in the first seven months of 2025, while BYD's sales over that same period jumped up by 251%, rising from 16,633 in 2024 to over 58,000 this year. BYD's sales in July also rose by 206% year-over-year.
BYD first broke into the European market in 2022, but has only recently started to gain momentum, after announcing in March that it had upgraded its batteries to charge 250 miles of range in just five minutes. Comparatively, Tesla offers roughly 200 miles in 15 minutes of charging for most of its models. BYD also rolled out its "God's Eye" self-driving technology at no extra cost in February, all while selling its vehicles at prices well below those of competitors such as Tesla.
As BYD has risen among the ranks of automakers in Europe, Tesla has become one of the least popular car brands across the bloc, excepting Honda and Mitsubishi. This comes as Tesla head Elon Musk has garnered widespread criticism for his political leanings, having publicly backed Germany's far-right AfD party during the country's February elections, and supported the United Kingdom's far-right Reform UK party. According to a January survey from Electrifying.com, 60% of car buyers in the U.K. said that Musk's controversial reputation had made them reluctant to buy a Tesla, while 61% of EV owners said that they were open to purchasing from a Chinese brand instead.
