Chinese automotive brands are rapidly gaining market share across Europe, with BYD now selling nearly three times as many vehicles as Tesla in October. This shift reflects a broader trend of Chinese manufacturers becoming significant players in the European automotive market, currently holding a 6.8% share of total sales.
Rapid Growth of Chinese Brands
In October alone, Chinese brands sold approximately 75,000 vehicles across the European Union, the United Kingdom, and EFTA nations. SAIC demonstrated particularly strong growth, increasing sales from 17,552 units last year to 23,860 this year – a 26.6% year-to-date increase. However, the most striking performance came from BYD, which saw sales skyrocket by 206.8% in October, selling 17,470 vehicles compared to 5,695 the previous year. Year-to-date, BYD’s sales have risen by an astounding 285%, reaching 138,390 units.
This rapid expansion is driven by competitive pricing, increasing model availability, and a growing consumer appetite for electric vehicles.
Tesla’s Declining Sales
While Chinese brands thrive, Tesla is experiencing a downturn. European sales fell by 48.5% in October, dropping from 13,519 to just 6,964 units. This decline means Tesla was even outsold by Porsche, which recorded a 26% decline but still managed 7,653 sales. Tesla’s overall year-to-date sales are down 29.6% to 180,688 units.
The shift in market dominance highlights a changing landscape where established players face increasing pressure from agile, competitive newcomers.
Electric Vehicle Adoption and Powertrain Trends
The growth of Chinese brands aligns with the broader trend of electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Europe. Battery-electric vehicles now account for 16.4% of total new car registrations, with 1,473,447 EVs registered in the first ten months of 2025. Growth is concentrated in key markets like Germany (+39.4%), Belgium (+10.6%), the Netherlands (+6.6%), and France (+5.3%).
Hybrid-electric vehicles remain the most popular powertrain, holding a 34.6% market share with 3,109,362 registrations. Plug-in hybrids are also gaining traction, increasing by 43.2% to 819,201 units. Meanwhile, traditional petrol-powered cars continue to lose ground, with sales down 18.3% across major markets.
The BYD Dolphin was the best-selling electric vehicle from Chinese brands in October.
The surge in EV and hybrid sales demonstrates a clear shift away from combustion engines, creating opportunities for innovative manufacturers like BYD to disrupt the European market. This trend is expected to continue as governments push for stricter emission standards and consumers increasingly embrace sustainable transportation options.
