China's BYD has surpassed Elon Musk's Tesla to become the world's leading seller of electric vehicles (EVs) for the first time in annual sales, marking a significant shift in the global EV market.

• BYD's battery-powered car sales rose by almost 28% to more than 2.25 million vehicles in 2025.
• Tesla's car sales dropped by nearly 9% to 1.64 million vehicles in 2025, marking its second consecutive year of falling deliveries.
• Tesla faced a tough year due to competition from Chinese rivals and a mixed reception to new offerings, while BYD continues its rapid expansion globally, with the UK becoming its biggest market outside China.