BYD kicked off the year with a strong start—January sales in Germany surged tenfold.

(Shenzhen/Berlin, Feb 5)
Chinese EV giant BYD continues to scale up in Europe’s largest electric-vehicle market, with its January sales in Germany surging more than tenfold.

Data from Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority (FMTA) showed BYD sold 2,629 vehicles in January, sharply higher than 235 units a year earlier—an increase of roughly 10.2 times. The figure was also more than double Tesla’s 1,301 registrations over the same period, while Tesla’s Germany sales rose only 1.9% year-on-year. Tesla shares fell as much as 5.4% during U.S. trading on Wednesday (Feb 4).

Competition heats up

As price competition remains intense in China’s EV market, multiple Chinese brands have accelerated their push into Europe. Alongside BYD, companies such as XPENG and Leapmotor have been expanding across the region, with Germany emerging as a key battleground.

In January, Leapmotor sold 689 vehicles in Germany, while XPENG recorded 327 units.

Germany’s EV market is now entering a phase of fierce competition. In addition to Chinese entrants, local leaders such as Volkswagen and BMW are also ramping up capacity and broadening their EV line-ups. With subsidies shrinking and price pressure persisting, the year is widely seen as pivotal for a reshuffle across the industry. Tesla has introduced more affordable versions of the Model Y and Model 3, but whether it can defend its remaining market position amid faster product cycles from Chinese brands and intensifying rivalry remains to be seen.