In the last quarter of 2023, BYD sold more electric cars than Tesla, all while being present almost only in China for the moment. But who is this still little-known manufacturer here, who arrives with crazy ambitions and who already manages to sell more electric cars than Tesla?
In 2023, so many electric cars have never been sold in the world. Nothing surprising given the current situation, and unsurprisingly, the undisputed champion of electric sales last year was Teslapowered by its two flagship models, the Model 3 and Model Y.
Tesla has registered 1.73 million cars worldwide, an impressive figure for a range made up of only four products, two of which are very high-end. It’s more than just Audi and its sprawling lineup. But not far behind, we observe the arrival of a Chinese manufacturer until now almost unknown in Europe. Her name ? BYD, acronym for “Build Your Dreams”.
BYD, who are you?
It is a Chinese automobile manufacturer that has emerged as one of the world leaders in electromobility. Founded in 1995 by Wang Chuanfu, the company has experienced impressive growth, leading the Chinese battery market and rapidly expanding its influence globally. A product of chance, its automobile division began, like Tesla, in 2003.
So no, BYD did not sell more cars than Tesla in 2023, but with 1.57 million 100% electric vehicles sold last year, there’s nothing ridiculous about it, especially when the vast majority of its sales are (still) made in China. Better yet, BYD did better than the American in the last quarter: 484,507 for Tesla, 526,409 for BYD. This is historic, and it makes BYD, for the moment, the world’s leading manufacturer of 100% electric cars.
BYD also produces plug-in hybrid cars. Almost as many as electric cars. This gives a figure of more than 3 million electrified cars sold in 2023.
The company’s vision is based on the principle of providing electric transport solutions accessible to all. In Europe, this is still not tangible, since the main products sold like the BYD Seal, Tang and Han are quite expensive, even compared to the European competition. The why and how is explained in our dedicated article.
Unlike many manufacturers, BYD is not limited to passenger vehicles, but offers a full range of electric mobility solutions, including buses (the famous London Bus), trucks, taxis and entire fleets for businesses.
Electric cars, but above all an electrical eco-system
BYD’s success is largely based on its commitment to technological innovation. The company invests heavily in research and development. We won’t mention them all, but let’s highlight its Blade battery technology, which equips all its cars, from the Dolphin to the Seal and the Atto 3.
It is a lithium-ion accumulator of the LFP (Lithium-iron-phosphate) type, cobalt-free, which has many advantages, starting with lower production cost. Its energy density is particularly high for an LFP chemistry, which means that the autonomy is greater compared to another battery of the same size, making it possible to avoid increasing the weight.
BYD’s solution is also very resistant to high temperatures and accidents. A very good point, because we know that CTP (cell-to-pack) design of the Blade battery can be problematic in the event of a collision, forcing the car to be scrapped since the cells are integrated directly into the chassis.
Products that are not lacking in interest
BYD has seen notable success with its line of popular electric vehicles. The BYD Qin, a plug-in hybrid sedan, was one of the first models to achieve great success in the Chinese market. The BYD Tang, an electric SUV, and the BYD e6, an electric van, were also well received.
These models, apart from the Tang, we do not know them at home. In Europe, BYD began its offensive with the Atto 3, a model that we have already tried, just like the Dolphin, the Tang, the Han and even the Seal, the most convincing in our eyes. Still, you should get used to seeing them. Even if these products are fundamentally not the best placed on the market, the fact remains that they benefit from quite remarkable qualities. Enough to sweep away this reputation of “Made in China” = poor quality.
Even if France has decided to no longer subsidize electric cars manufactured in China, BYD intends, like MG, to expand its network. Over the next three years, around a hundred BYD points of sale will emerge in France.
BYD and the shadow of the Chinese government
China, the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases in absolute terms, made the switch to electricity very early on and generous purchasing subsidies enabled sales to take off. While many local manufacturers have emerged to support this transition in the world’s largest automobile market.
This context was more than favorable to BYD, but Europe did not see this favorably and does not intend to subsidize cars that are already largely helped by the Chinese government.
End of 2022, the Chinese government estimated subsidies and tax breaks for the purchase of electric vehicles alone at more than 200 billion yuan (approximately 26 billion euros).. This support has given Chinese companies a clear advantage over their foreign competitors, particularly in terms of price, even if this materializes primarily in China.
BYD supplier of the largest
BYD, generally speaking, is not just a car manufacturer. The brand also now supplies batteries to the main world manufacturers, including Tesla, BMW, Mercedes and Audi. The company also announced last month the construction of its first car factory in Europe, in Hungary more precisely. The brand ceased its production of thermal cars in 2023 and now focuses only on hybrid and electric models.
In short, as you will have understood, BYD is today a major global player in electric cars. Even if its presence is not particularly palpable in Europe and France, with the right products at the right price, we should see some of them on our roads, but not necessarily the tidal wave predicted by some. On our side, we see BYD like Kia or even Hyundai 20 or 30 years ago. It is an ambitious manufacturer who will take time to find a comfortable place on the Old Continent.
Fun fact, Elon Musk, the boss of Tesla, mocked BYD in 2011, which was then only a local manufacturer, by declaring that the brand was not “not really a competitor”while adding: “have you seen their cars? ». Yes, we have seen them, we have now even tried them, and they have nothing to envy of certain so-called “traditional” manufacturers, quite the contrary.
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