German media: Tesla's sales continue to plummet in Europe, losing to BYD.

The trend of Tesla's plummeting sales in the European market is still ongoing. Latest data shows that this American brand has been surpassed by the Chinese brand BYD for the first time in Europe, dropping to 11th place that month. The most popular electric vehicle in the European market is a new SUV from Skoda.

According to data from research group and automotive data intelligence company Jato Dynamics, China's automotive giant BYD has outperformed Tesla for the first time in the European market. In April this year, there were 7,231 new pure electric vehicles registered in Europe from BYD, ranking 10th on the list of pure electric vehicle sales; while Tesla only registered 7,165 units, ranking 11th.

Volkswagen, the German carmaker, topped the list of pure electric vehicle sales, with more than 23,500 new registrations in Europe last month. BMW, Skoda, Audi, Renault, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and Hyundai followed, ranking second to ninth respectively.

Data from Jato Dynamics also show that the overall sales volume of electric vehicles in Europe is increasing. Pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) accounted for 26% of new car registrations in Europe in April 2025, setting a new record high.

BYD's proactive push

Jato Dynamics' survey shows that despite the EU imposing tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, Chinese electric vehicles increased by 59% year-over-year in Europe in April, reaching nearly 15,300 units. Jato Dynamics stated that many Chinese automakers began seeking solutions after the tariff was imposed, expanding their product lines in Europe by introducing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles - a category not yet affected by EU tariffs - to maintain their global expansion momentum. Regarding BYD's sales surpassing Tesla in April, Jato Dynamics analyst Munoz said, "Although the gap in sales between the two brands may be small, its impact is significant. This is a watershed moment for the European automotive market, especially considering that Tesla has led the European pure electric vehicle market for many years, while BYD did not officially start operations in markets outside Norway and the Netherlands until the end of 2022."

Tesla's struggles

Tesla's sales continued to decline in April, extending the downward trend seen in the first quarter of this year, with a year-over-year decrease of 49%.

It is widely believed that Tesla's successive setbacks in the European market this year are due to multiple factors. Reuters reported that Tesla currently faces issues such as outdated product lines and too few product options. On the other hand, Musk's close political alliance with Trump, including his support for Germany's AfD party, has affected Tesla's image in Europe.

In the past period, many Tesla stores in Europe have become targets for activists to protest.

What are the most popular cars and electric vehicles in Europe?

According to Jato Dynamics' data, the best-selling model in Europe in April this year was Renault Clio, reaching nearly 19,000 units. This marks the first time since 2020 that this French compact car has topped the sales chart. Additionally, Volkswagen's Tiguan performed well, with new registrations growing by 32% year-over-year to 16,300 units, ranking fourth on the April sales chart.

In the field of pure electric vehicles, the most popular model is Skoda's newly launched Elroq, an SUV that sold nearly 8,000 units in April 2025. Three models from Volkswagen (ID.3, ID.7, and ID.4) followed closely behind, with ID.7 seeing a 640% increase in sales. The only Tesla model to enter the top ten electric vehicle sales rankings was Model Y, ranked ninth, with a year-over-year decrease of 54%.

Source: DW

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832926917061707/

Disclaimer: This article solely represents the author's personal views.