BYD sold a record 342K NEVs in July, but EV sales slipped

BYD breaks NEV sales record in July as EV sales slip

China’s leading EV maker continued its dominant run last month. BYD sold 342,383 NEVs in July, up 30% year over year and beating the previous record set in June (341,658).

Although EV sales fell 10% from June (145,179), BYD still sold 130,000 fully electric vehicles last month.

BYD’s plug-in hybrids led the growth, setting a new record with 210,799 sold in July, up 67% year over year and 8% from June. This is BYD’s fifth straight month of PHEV sales growth.

Through the first seven months of 2024, BYD has sold 1,955,366 NEVs, up 29% compared to last year (1,517,798).

Although BYD’s EV sales slipped in July, they are still up 14% through the first seven months of the year. BYD has sold 856,153 fully electric vehicles through July. That’s up from the 751,593 sold at this time last year.

Meanwhile, PHEV sales topped 1 million (1,091,791) through July, up 44% from the 757,673 sold at this time last year.

BYD also revealed that 30,014 vehicles were sold overseas, representing 11% growth from June.

Electrek’s Take

After overtaking VW to become China’s top-selling car brand last year, BYD is quickly expanding in key overseas markets like Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

BYD is reportedly planning to enter Canada after meeting with dealers, a move that could drastically shake up the North American EV market.

Although BYD is best known for its low-cost models like the Dolphin, Atto 3, and Seagull, it’s expanding into new segments, including pickup trucks, luxury, and mid-size SUVs.

After briefly topping Tesla to become the top-selling global EV last year, Tesla took it back in Q1 and has held onto it through the first half of 2024. However, recent research from Bloomberg Intelligence suggests BYD will take back the crown and hold it through 2027. In 2028, Tesla is projected to make a comeback, with Volkswagen pulling it together for third.

With a slate of models rolling out, including its first pickup, a new Model Y-rivalling electric SUV, and a few luxury cars, BYD’s EV sales will likely pick back up in the second half of 2024 into 2025.

Meanwhile, after signing a landmark deal to put 100,000 EVs on the road and deploy autonomous tech through a new partnership with Uber, Tesla’s Elon Musk commented on X, saying, “BYD needs to change course fast or they’re in trouble.”

What do you think? Is BYD in trouble? Or will China’s largest EV maker overtake Tesla again, as projected? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.