Big Number
4.54 million. That is the total number of passenger vehicles BYD delivered in 2025 as, unlike Tesla, the Chinese carmaker also makes plug-in hybrids. The company’s EV deliveries nearly eclipsed its hybrid deliveries this year, which saw a decline from 2.48 million to 2.28 million.
What Has Elon Musk Said About Byd?
In a now infamous interview with Bloomberg TV in 2011, Musk laughed when asked about competition from BYD, as the host mentioned billionaire Warren Buffett’s investment in the company. Musk responded, “Have you seen their car?” before adding, “I don’t think they have a great product…I don’t think it’s particularly attractive; the technology is not very strong, and BYD as a company has some pretty severe problems in their home turf in China.” The Tesla CEO then said BYD’s primary focus should be ensuring they don’t die in China. The billionaire changed his tone in 2021 while addressing the World New Energy Vehicle Congress in Hainan, China. “I have a great deal of respect for the many Chinese automakers for driving these (EV) technologies,” Musk said at the time. In a January 2023 Tesla earnings call, Musk said, Chinese carmakers “work the hardest and they work the smartest…And so, if I were to guess…probably some company out of China is the most likely to be second to Tesla.” In another earnings call, a year later, Musk’s tone was more alarming as he warned that if there are no trade barriers established, [on Chinese EVs] they will pretty much demolish most other companies in the world.”
