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BYD passes Tesla in electric car sales

· Fact-checked before it aired. Unconfirmed claims from this segment are not shown.

BYD overtook Tesla as the world's largest seller of fully electric cars in 2025. BYD sold about 2.26 million battery-electric passenger vehicles, up roughly 28% year-on-year, while Tesla delivered about 1.64 million, down about 8.5% — Tesla's second consecutive annual decline. BYD's total 2025 sales, including plug-in hybrids, reached 4.6 million vehicles.

Tesla faced rising competition from Chinese and European automakers, the expiry of US federal EV tax credits in September 2025, and brand backlash tied to CEO Elon Musk. BYD benefited from rapid growth in Europe, where its overseas sales hit a record one million vehicles in 2025, up about 150% from 2024, and from its vertical integration, including in-house batteries.

In 2025, BYD sold about 2.26 million fully electric passenger vehicles, while Tesla delivered about 1.64 million — the first full year BYD outsold Tesla in battery-electric vehicles.

Rivian is an American electric vehicle maker founded in 2009 by RJ Scaringe.

Fact-check

VERIFIED TRUE

In 2025, BYD sold about 2.26 million fully electric passenger vehicles, while Tesla delivered about 1.64 million — the first full year BYD outsold Tesla in battery-electric vehicles.

Tesla vs BYD: Who Sells the Most Fully Electric Cars in the World? For years, Tesla led the global battery-electric vehicle (BEV) market. But in 2025, the story changed. BYD sold approximately 2.26 million fully electric passenger vehicles, compared with Tesla’s 1.64 million http

Original post · Raymond K. Moneyed (@rken63)

businessinsider.com

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Rivian is an American electric vehicle maker founded in 2009 by RJ Scaringe.

Rivian is an American electric vehicle startup. The company was founded in 2009. @Grok, tell us more.

Original post · Arturas Gulevskis (@AGulevskis)

rivian.com

Sources

What the hosts said

MBYD just passed Tesla as the world's biggest seller of fully electric cars.
MIn 2025, BYD sold about 2.26 million battery-electric vehicles. Tesla delivered 1.64 million.
MThat's the first full year BYD has outsold Tesla in pure EVs.
CAnd it wasn't close. BYD was up 28 percent. Tesla was down 8.5 percent.
MTesla's second straight annual decline.
CThe tax credits ending in September didn't help. But BYD's also just... everywhere now.
MA million vehicles sold overseas in 2025. Up 150 percent from the year before.
CThey make their own batteries. That vertical integration is a real edge.
MMeanwhile, Tesla's betting on Optimus and Robotaxi. Wall Street's still pricing in the future.
CA trader told Business Insider investors are ignoring delivery numbers because they're focused on physical AI.
MThat's a big bet. Deliveries are the business today.
CRivian's in the news too. A post claims its VW partnership is expanding into software.
MI couldn't confirm a new expansion beyond the 2024 joint venture.
CSo treat that as a rumor for now.
MAnd on Bluesky, the SpaceX takes are getting spicy.
COne account says SpaceX is just a way to spend taxpayer money on rockets that explode.
MThat's an opinion, not a fact. But it's loud.
CAnother just says: nationalize SpaceX.
MA slogan, not a plan. But it tells you the temperature.
CMatt Novak joked that Musk will move Tesla and SpaceX to Argentina now.
MSarcasm, obviously. But the BYD number is the real story tonight.

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