BYD has overtaken Tesla in European registrations after more than doubling sales as Chinese brands continue to gain market share.
The Chinese manufacturer registered 101,221 vehicles across Europe during the first four months of 2026, according to figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
That represented year-on-year growth of 143.9% and moved BYD ahead of Tesla, which recorded 89,429 registrations, which has also seen a recovery at 45.8%.
The figures cover the EU, UK and EFTA markets and mark a significant milestone for BYD as it continues its rapid European expansion.
BYD won Manufacturer of the Year at the recent AM Awards, cementing its position within the UK car market.
Read Automotive Management’s special report celebrating all the winners and finalists in the 2026 AM Awards. Find out what makes an AM Awards winner
Within the European Union alone, BYD registrations increased by 152.9% to 71,863 units, giving the brand a 1.9% market share. Tesla registrations rose 61.7% to 67,389 units, leaving it with a 1.8% share.
BYD’s growth comes as battery electric vehicle demand continues to strengthen across Europe.
ACEA data shows battery electric registrations rose 33.8% year-on-year to 746,899 units between January and April, increasing market share from 15.3% to 19.7%.
Accelerating growth among Chinese manufacturers
Chinese OEMs are increasing their market shares across the board in Europe.
Chery, which includes the Omoda and Jaecoo brands, increased registrations across Europe by 338% to 94,456 vehicles.
SAIC Motor, owner of the MG brand, grew registrations by 10.3% to 110,327 units, while Leapmotor registrations rose 582.2% to 32,963 units.
Meanwhile, Geely Group, which includes Volvo Cars, Polestar, Smart, Lotus, LEVC, Lynk & Co and Zeekr, delivered 138,429 registrations across Europe, up 4.8%.
Taken together, the figures highlight the growing presence of Chinese-owned automotive brands in Europe at a time when traditional manufacturers are facing increasing competition in the electric vehicle market.
The overall European new car market grew by 4.8% during the first four months of 2026, with registrations reaching 4.67 million units across the EU, UK and EFTA countries.
Battery electric vehicles remained the fastest-growing major powertrain, while petrol and diesel registrations continued to decline.
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