Tesla loses the lead to BYD: what the shift in the electric vehicle market means
According to navigator.az, the company "Tesla", led by American entrepreneur Elon Musk, lost its global lead in electric vehicle sales volume to Chinese manufacturer "BYD" for the first time in 2025. This was reported by the "Bloomberg" agency.
According to the agency, the volume of "Tesla" electric vehicle deliveries has been declining for a second consecutive year — last year the figure dropped by approximately 9 percent. Meanwhile, "BYD" delivery growth has continued for a fifth consecutive quarter.
Why is Tesla falling behind?
According to "Bloomberg's" assessment, "Tesla's" problems are primarily linked to the update of the "Model Y" vehicle, a process that required reorganizing production at its plants. It is also noted that "BYD's" model lineup is considerably wider than its American rival's, and most of the Chinese company's electric vehicles are cheaper than "Tesla's" most popular models, the "Model Y" and "Model 3".
The agency also notes that Elon Musk's political activity — his closeness to the Republican Party and US President Donald Trump, as well as his oversight of the body tasked with improving federal government efficiency — has negatively affected "Tesla's" sales figures.
What Prayk's catalog shows
While this global trend doesn't directly concern the Azerbaijani market, the overall picture in the local car listings catalog is of interest. Currently, Prayk's Cars section has 50,307 listings published, with a median asking price of 13,800 AZN. In addition, the spare parts and accessories category has 30,865 listings — showing how wide a selection owners have for keeping a vehicle running.
Although competition among EV manufacturers is intensifying globally, local buyers' interest remains focused on internal combustion models for now. However, growing price competition among manufacturers could eventually affect the used car market as well, since cheaper new models put pressure on prices of older ones.
What buyers and sellers should do
For anyone planning to buy or sell a car, the practical advice is simple: check the current state of the market before making a decision. For sellers, this means it's useful to reference the median price (13,800 AZN) when listing a vehicle, to set a price in line with market reality. For buyers, the breadth of the spare parts market (30,865 listings) means the risk of buying a used car may be lower, since finding parts for repairs is relatively easy.
The shift in the global balance of power will not directly change prices in Azerbaijan, but intensifying competition among manufacturers could eventually affect the range and pricing of imported models. That's why it always pays to keep an eye on the market.
Source: navigator.az, 2026.