Tesla’s long reign as Europe’s top-selling electric vehicle brand has come to an end—at least for now. Chinese automaker BYD edged past the American company in April, registering 7,231 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) on the continent, just ahead of Tesla’s 7,165, according to data from research firm JATO Dynamics.
The milestone is all the more significant given that Tesla has long dominated Europe’s BEV segment, while BYD only expanded beyond Norway and the Netherlands in late 2022.
Although the margin is slim, analysts say the implications are anything but. JATO analyst Felipe Munoz described the development as a watershed moment for Europe’s car market.
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“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,” Munoz said in the report.
Tesla’s numbers in April were not just a dip—they represented a collapse. The company’s BEV registrations in Europe fell by a staggering 49 percent year-on-year. Country-by-country data showed major contractions, including a 59 percent decline in France, 67 percent in Denmark, 81 percent in Sweden, 62 percent in the United Kingdom, and 46 percent in Germany.
These declines are happening as European buyers gravitate toward more affordable or better-equipped alternatives—many of them Chinese—and amid growing dissatisfaction with Tesla’s brand image.
The drop in demand comes at a politically sensitive time for CEO Elon Musk. His vocal right-wing affiliations, open support for President Donald Trump, and inflammatory remarks on X have alienated some European customers.
Speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum earlier this week, Musk acknowledged the situation bluntly, stating: “Europe is our weakest market.”
Meanwhile, BYD’s 169 percent surge in BEV registrations in April happened despite the presence of steep import tariffs. The European Union currently imposes a 10 percent base tariff on imported vehicles and an additional 17 percent surcharge on BEVs from China, bringing the total tariff load to 27 percent. Nevertheless, the Chinese company has found a sweet spot with European buyers through a combination of competitive pricing, expanding product range, and strategic market positioning.
The success has spurred BYD to go further. The automaker recently announced plans to build a manufacturing plant in Hungary, which would allow it to assemble vehicles within the European Union and reduce tariff burdens. The company also confirmed it will bring its best-selling electric vehicle, the Dolphin Surf, to European markets. The vehicle is expected to start at around $26,000, offering a value proposition that could further disrupt the market and accelerate its gains over Tesla.
Tesla’s woes are not solely tied to Chinese competition. Legacy European automakers are also eating into its market share, armed with expanding EV lineups and the advantage of brand loyalty. Volkswagen’s BEV registrations jumped 61 percent in April, while Audi rose 48 percent and BMW gained 5 percent. Munoz noted that while the electric vehicle segment was a bright spot for Europe’s new passenger car market last month, these gains were offset by significant declines among internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
Across all powertrains, Europe is moving steadily toward electrification. BEVs and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) combined accounted for 26 percent of all new car registrations in Europe in April, setting a new record. BEVs alone made up 17 percent of this share, up from 13.4 percent in April 2024. PHEVs contributed 9 percent, compared to 6.9 percent a year earlier. Much of this growth is attributed to the proliferation of Chinese brands and a wider array of model offerings across price points, underscoring the extent to which the EV transition is accelerating in Europe—even if Tesla is failing to keep pace.
Beyond the European market, Musk is facing challenges on multiple fronts. His attention is increasingly divided between Tesla, his artificial intelligence venture xAI, the social media platform X, and other ventures including SpaceX and Neuralink. Analysts and investors are concerned that Tesla may be losing its focus at a time when competition in the EV industry is becoming more intense, particularly from Chinese automakers that have the backing of robust domestic supply chains and state subsidies.
Even as Tesla shares rose by 2 percent in early trading, perhaps buoyed by broader market trends or short-term investor optimism, the company’s long-term dominance—especially in Europe—is no longer guaranteed. The rise of BYD and the success of other Chinese EV brands are sending a clear message that Tesla’s grip on the global electric vehicle market is slipping. And unless it can regain momentum, the company may find itself outpaced by a new generation of global competitors.
