Tesla loses its crown. Elon Musk defeated by the Chinese giant BYD

Tesla, owned by Elon Musk, recorded a second consecutive decline in the number of cars delivered in 2025 and lost the status of global market leader to China's BYD – according to the companies' quarterly results. Tesla delivered 1.64 million cars, while BYD delivered 2.26 million.

According to information provided by Tesla, the company sold by 9%. fewer cars in 2025, and in the last quarter of the year it sold them by 16%. less – 418 thousand – than in the same period of the previous year. This is the second straight year of declining Tesla sales. These numbers mean that Elon Musk's company is no longer the world leader in the electric car market. This position was won by the Chinese BYD, whose sales results increased by 28%.

As commentators note, Tesla's results include: the result of the withdrawal by the Donald Trump administration of tax breaks for the purchase of electric cars, introduced under Joe Biden, amounting to PLN 7,500. hole. The subsidies were phased out as part of the major One Big Beautiful Bill budget bill, which was the cause of a public spat between Trump and Musk.

According to the New York Times, Tesla's declining sales show how the company has moved away from its previous ambitions to become the world's largest carmaker and its goal of selling 20 million cars every year by 2030. Musk recently announced a refocusing of the company's priorities towards the production of autonomous cars and humanoid robots.

Tesla still accounts for 45%. electric car market in the USAand as a result of the withdrawal of tax breaks, other manufacturers, including Ford, also abandoned their policy of focusing on the production of these vehicles. In addition to the results in the US, Tesla's sales also dropped dramatically in Europe, with the exception of Norway.

BYD, which does not sell cars in the USA – during the Biden administration, the USA introduced a 100% tariffs on Chinese electric cars – meanwhile, it recorded a large part of the growth on foreign markets, in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Despite the company's declining results, shareholders approved a remuneration package for its director, Elon Musk, in November. The approved remuneration plan provides for the payment of shares in a number depending on the company's results. If Tesla achieves all its goals and reaches a market value of $8.5 trillion. (currently 1.38 trillion), Musk will receive shares worth $1 trillion.

From Washington Oskar Górzyński (PAP)

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