China’s EV leader is quickly making a name for itself in Europe. In April, BYD outsold Tesla in Germany and the UK as sales surged in the region. With new models on the way, this looks to be just the start of BYD’s global sales run.
BYD sales outpace Tesla in Germany and the UK in April
BYD is like a freight train right now. There’s no slowing its roll. The company sold over 380,000 new energy vehicles (NEVs) last month, up 21% from April 2024.
Like most Chinese automakers, BYD reports NEV sales, or electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. Since it stopped making gas-powered cars in 2022, BYD has focused entirely on EVs and PHEVs. So far, it has paid off.
For the first time in over a year, BYD’s electric vehicles outsold its plug-in models. Last month, the company sold over 195,000 electric cars (+45% YOY) and nearly 176,000 (+0%) PHEVs.
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Although its EVs got most of the attention, BYD sold over 79,000 vehicles overseas last month, its fifth straight month of growth. Through April, the company has sold over 285,000 vehicles in overseas markets, more than doubling from last year.
BYD launches Sealion 7 smart electric SUV at 2024 Paris Motor Show (Source: BYD)
According to the latest sales numbers released by the German federal road traffic agency, KBA, BYD even outsold Tesla in Germany, Europe’s largest auto market.
BYD sold 1,566 vehicles in Germany last month, an over eightfold (+756%) increase from April 2024. In comparison, Tesla’s sales fell 46% with just 855 cars sold in Germany last month.
Michael Shu, Managing Director of BYD Europe, speaks at the IAA (Source: BYD)
Closing the gap in Europe
Through the first four months of 2025, BYD sold 2,791 vehicles (+385%) in Germany, while Tesla remains ahead at 5,820 (-60%).
And it’s not just in Germany. BYD outsold Tesla in the UK last month as well. Data from SMNT shows BYD sold 2,511 vehicles in April 2025. Tesla only sold 512 vehicles in the UK last month.
BYD’s wide-reaching electric vehicle portfolio (Source: BYD)
BYD is quickly closing in on Tesla in the UK. Through April, BYD sold 11,782 vehicles while Tesla’s sales reached 12,986 vehicles.
Will China’s EV leader overtake Tesla in Europe? With several new vehicles rolling out, BYD is poised to see even more demand later this year. After launching its luxury Denza brand last month, BYD’s cheapest EV, the Seagull, is set to arrive later this year.
BYD Seagull EV (Dolphin Mini) Source: BYD
BYD will launch the low-cost EV later this year in Europe under the name Dolphin Surf with prices starting under £20,000 ($26,000). In China, the Seagull starts at under $10,000 (69,800 yuan) and was BYD’s top seller last month with over 55,000 units sold.
According to forecasts from S&P Global Mobility, BYD’s sales are expected to double in Europe from 83,000 last year to 186,000 in 2025. By 2029, that number could reach upwards of 400,000.
As it looks to drive growth this year, BYD is aggressively expanding overseas. BYD’s fourth car transport ship, the “BYD Shenzhen,” officially set sail last week with enough room for 9,200 vehicles. It is now the world’s largest.
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After cutting prices on its top-selling electric vehicle by nearly $10,000 in the US, Hyundai is now bringing the savings to new markets. Hyundai is offering discounts of over $34,000 on some of its EVs overseas.
Hyundai is discounting EVs in the US and overseas
Last week, Hyundai announced it was reducing prices on the 2026 IONIQ 5 by up to $9,800 in the US. The 2026 IONIQ 5 starts at just $35,000, making it one of the most affordable EVs available alongside the Chevy Equinox EV and the Nissan LEAF.
Hyundai said the generous EV discounts reflected its “commitment to affordability” as part of its long-term strategy.
Record vehicle sales and higher output at its new EV plant in Georgia are helping reduce costs, which the company said it’s now passing on to buyers.
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The massive EV discounts are starting to pile up after Hyundai cut prices in another market on Tuesday. After launching a series of special offers in Australia on Tuesday, Hyundai is discounting some of its EVs by more than $34,000.
The Hyundai Kona Electric (Source: Hyundai Australia)
According to TheDriven, Hyundai reduced prices on select IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6, Inster EV, and Kona Electric models by up to $34,142.
Hyundai’s most affordable electric car, the Inster (which is sadly not sold in the US), received a $3,925 price reduction, and now starts at under $40,000 for the first time.
The Hyundai Inster EV (Source: Hyundai)
The IONIQ 6 is heavily discounted, with up to $34,142 off the driveway price on 2023 model year inventory. Hyundai has also reduced the prices of the IONIQ 5 by nearly $10,000. As the report points out, the savings are based on the driveway prices in NSW, which are available nationally.
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 (Source: Hyundai)
Although Hyundai’s price cuts in the US were in response to the $7,500 federal EV tax credit expiring, the discounts in Australia come as demand for electric cars is at an all-time high. In September, electric vehicles accounted for 11.3% of new car sales.
In the US, Hyundai is still offering a $7,500 cash incentive for 2025 IONIQ 5 models until at least the end of October.
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Trim
Driving Range (miles)
2025 Starting Price
2026 Starting Price*
Price Reduction
Monthly lease cost (October 2025)
IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range
245
$42,600
$35,000
($7,600)
$249
IONIQ 5 SE RWD
318
$46,650
$37,500
($9,150)
$259
IONIQ 5 SEL RWD
318
$49,600
$39,800
($9,800)
$299
IONIQ 5 Limited RWD
318
$54,300
$45,075
($9,225)
$369
IONIQ 5 SE Dual Motor AWD
290
$50,150
$41,000
($9,150)
$309
IONIQ 5 SEL Dual Motor AWD
290
$53,100
$43,300
($9,800)
$349
IONIQ 5 XRT Dual Motor AWD
259
$55,500
$46,275
($9,225)
$379
IONIQ 5 Limited Dual Motor AWD
269
$58,200
$48,975
($9,225)
$419
2025 vs 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5 prices and range by trim
The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Standard Range starts at $42,600, while the 2026 model year is priced from just $35,000.
Although it was already one of the most affordable EVs on the market, the IONIQ 5 is hard to pass up with leases starting at just $249 per month in the US. For $10 more per month ($259), you can upgrade to the long-range SE RWD trim, which offers a range of up to 318 miles.
Since its launch in 2024, ComEd’s Beneficial Electrification (BE) Plan has supported the deployment of more than 7,200 electric vehicle charging ports and over 2,200 EVs registered to business and public sector commercial customers.
“Reducing emissions from vehicles is one of the most effective and important things we can do to improve air quality and public health,” explains Rob Anderson, President and CEO of Respiratory Health Association. “As we have seen the ending of federal funding support for this effort, ComEd’s continued commitment of transportation electrification rebates is leading the way for our shared goal of eliminating pollution and creating cleaner air for all of our communities across northern Illinois.”
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Building on the $231 million investment from 2023 through 2025, the additional $168 million will assist both residential and non-residential customers transition to EVs. The company also places an emphasis on equity, with 80% of the rebates from its over 6,400 projects going to low-income business and public sector organizations serving low-income and Equity Investment Eligible Communities (EIECs).
The ComEd rebates support the goals of Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), which was signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker in 2021 to combat climate change and promote beneficial electrification across the state. CEJA also has the goal of putting 1 million EVs on Illinois roads by 2030, and ComEd certainly has role to play there, as 90% of the 150,000 EVs registered in Illinois operate within its service territory (that’s up from 19,000 EVs in 2019).
Electrek’s Take
The EV tax credit is no more — what happens now?
While President Trump was running for re-election, he campaigned on the threat promise of canceling the $7,500 federal tax credit for EVs — a campaign promise he kept as recently as September 30th. That wasn’t the end of the road for EVs, however.
If you drive an electric vehicle, make charging at home fast, safe, and convenient with a Level 2 charger installed by Qmerit.As the nation’s most trusted EV charger installation network, Qmerit connects you with licensed, background-checked electricians who specialize in EV charging. You’ll get a quick online estimate, upfront pricing, and installation backed by Qmerit’s nationwide quality guarantee. Their pros follow the highest safety standards so you can plug in at home with total peace of mind.
Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days event has officially kicked off and will be running through October 8 with some of the best deals of the year on eco-friendly tech. We’ve got another large collection of Green Deals during this two-day period, which we’ve collected the best of and curated into this one-stop shopping hub that will continue to be updated through the week. You’ll find the best of these ongoing seasonal deals on power stations/solar generators, EVs of various kinds, electric tools, and other eco-friendly appliances and smart devices.
October Prime Big Deal Days 2025 Green Deals
Prime Day Power Station Green Deals
EcoFlow’s Prime Day Sale increases power station discounts up to 65% with bonus savings, free gifts, and more from $169
EcoFlow launches new DELTA 3 Max and Ultra power stations with up to $2,000 in savings + FREE gear starting from $759
Save up to 65% on power stations during Anker’s SOLIX Prime Day Sale with extra savings, free gifts, and more from $299
Prime Day offers another chance to pick up the Anker PowerCore Reserve 60,000mAh station at $80 (Reg. $150)