February 5, 2026 – According to Bloomberg, BYD has witnessed a remarkable surge in its vehicle sales in Germany, Europe’s largest electric vehicle (EV) market, with a more than tenfold year-on-year increase last month.
Data released by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority on Wednesday showed that BYD sold 2,629 new cars in Germany in January this year, a staggering growth of over 1,000% compared to just 235 units sold a year ago. Moreover, this figure is more than double Tesla’s 1,301 vehicle registrations in the same period.
Following its sales lead over Tesla in the German and British markets last year, BYD is now further widening its advantage. Amid an intense price war in the domestic EV market, Chinese brands such as SAIC MG, Leapmotor, and XPeng Motors have been expanding their presence in Europe in recent months, adding to the competitive pressure on established automakers. As the largest market in Europe, Germany has become a crucial battleground.
Tesla has been facing difficulties across the European market due to consumer backlash against CEO Elon Musk’s political activities. The company is now grappling with intensifying competition from both Chinese and local brands, as automakers like Volkswagen, Renault, and BMW are expanding their EV product lineups.
Although Tesla’s German sales in January this year saw a slight 1.9% year-on-year increase, this growth was built on a low base following a sharp sales decline at the beginning of last year. In fact, Tesla’s sluggish performance in Europe has continued into the new year, with vehicle registrations in France dropping to their lowest level in more than three years. Norway, which was a bright spot for Tesla last year, experienced an 88% plunge in sales in January.
