Chinese new energy vehicle maker BYD sold more electric vehicles in Europe than Tesla for the first time, according to a report by JATO Dynamics.
BYD, which makes plug-in hybrid and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), sold 7,231 BEVs in Europe in April, while Tesla registered 7,165 units.
In April 2025, battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles combined accounted for 26% of new car registrations in Europe, a new record, with Chinese car brands behind much of this growth. BEVs accounted for 17% of this total, up from 13.4% in April 2024, while plug-in hybrids represented 9% of monthly registrations, up from 6.9% in the corresponding month last year.
Despite the imposition of tariffs by the EU, registrations of electric cars made by Chinese automakers in April rose by 59% year on year, reaching almost 15,300 units. Within this segment, carmakers from Europe, Japan, Korea and the US recorded an increase of 26%.
The PHEV segment saw a notable development, as volumes from Chinese players increased by 546% year on year, from 1,493 units in April 2024 to 9,649 units in April 2025, meaning Chinese car brands now account for almost 10% of the total number of PHEVs registered in Europe.
“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 ICE vehicles. EV sales need to grow much faster to have a genuine impact on the wider European car market,” said Felipe Munoz, Global Analyst at JATO Dynamics.
Tariffs imposed by the European Union on electric vehicles made in China earlier this year had an initial negative impact on the sales of Chinese automakers, forcing these carmakers to look for other solutions. Many of its carmakers selling cars in Europe have since responded by expanding and diversifying their European line-up with the introduction of plug-in hybrids, which have not yet been targeted by EU tariffs.
“China is not only the world leader in BEVs; its automakers are global leaders in plug-in hybrid vehicles too. To gain traction in Europe, its carmakers have responded to the threat posed by tariffs by focusing on other powertrains, such as plug-in hybrids, to maintain the momentum behind their global expansion plans. It remains to be seen whether the EU will respond to the boom in Chinese-made PHEVs by imposing tariffs on these vehicles too,” Munoz commented.
Tesla reported another monthly drop in April, with total volumes down 49% year on year. In contrast, BYD saw an increase of 359% over the same period thanks to its broad and competitive line up of fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. BYD’s rapid expansion has already pushed it ahead of established European car brands – outselling Fiat, Dacia, and Seat in the UK; Fiat and Seat in France; Seat in Italy; and Fiat in Spain. This growth comes even before production begins at its new plant in Hungary.
“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 noted.
New passenger car registrations in Europe remained stable last month. In April, a total of 1,078,521 new cars were registered, 1,399 more units than the same month in 2024.
Year-to-date registrations, covering the period between January and April 2025, totalled 4,467,681 units, or just 6,560 more than during the same period of 2024.
The Renaut Clio was Europe’s most registered car in April, with 19,000 units of the French subcompact registered. The Clio has not led the model rankings since June 2020, having lost ground in recent years to its low-cost rival, the Dacia Sandero – Europe’s best-seller in 2024.
However, the standout performer of the month was arguably the Volkswagen Tiguan, in fourth position, with registrations up by 32% to 16,300 units. Other strong performers include the Toyota Yaris Cross, Dacia Duster, Opel/Vauxhall Corsa, Peugeot 3008, Jeep Avenger and Mini Cooper.
The Skoda Elroq led the BEV model rankings for the first time, with 8,000 units – vindicating the brand’s decision to introduce an SUV that sits between the B and C segments.
Three Volkswagen models followed in the rankings, while the Volkswagen ID.7 increased its volumes by 640% to occupy third position. Renault registered more than 5,600 units of the Renault 5, the sixth most registered electric vehicle in Europe last month, while Kia’s recently launched EV3 also made the top ten. By contrast, volumes of the Tesla Model Y and the Volvo EX30 dropped by 53% and 57%, respectively.
