The automotive world is witnessing a historic moment. The year 2025 officially marks the end of Tesla's uninterrupted dominance in the fully electric vehicle (BEV) segment. Chinese giant BYD (Build Your Dreams) is no longer just a contender for the throne, but the new global leader, managing to transform the sustainability market from a luxury niche into one accessible to the masses.
Although the final figures for the full year will be published in January, the data summarized up to the end of December 2025 is unequivocal.
BYD: Reported sales of 2,066,002 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the first 11 months of the year alone. With a monthly average that consistently exceeded 200,000 units towards the end of the year, projections indicate a total of approximately 2.3 million electric cars by 2025.
Tesla: Analyst estimates (such as FactSet and Deutsche Bank) place Elon Musk's company at around 1.65 million units for the full year, a decrease from the previous year, caused by fierce competition and the absence of new models in the volume segment.
The major difference lies in strategy: while Tesla focused on optimizing production for existing models (Model Y and Model 3), BYD flooded the market with an incredible diversity of body styles and prices, benefiting from a huge technological advantage: its own production of batteries (Blade Battery), considered among the safest and most efficient in the world.
The Romanian market has fully felt the Chinese "shock wave". If at the beginning of the year BYD was a name known only to enthusiasts, the end of 2025 finds the brand in the Top 5 best-selling electric brands in Romania, surpassing traditional European brands.
Local success is mainly due to partnerships with large distribution networks (such as RSA or ATP Group) and the opening of showrooms in key cities: Bucharest, Timișoara, Cluj and Iași.
Available models and prices (December 2025)
In Romania, BYD has relied on an "aggressive" strategy, offering premium features at mid-segment prices. Here are the most popular models:
| Model | Body Type | Starting Price (est.)* | Range (WLTP) |
| Dolphin | Hatchback (C-Segment) | €18,990 (with Rabla) | 310 - 427 km |
| Atto 3 | Compact SUV | €29,900 | 420 km |
| Seal | Sport Sedan | €45,800 | 520 - 570 km |
| Seal U DM-i | Plug-in Hybrid SUV | €36,490 | 1,080 km (total) |
| Sealion 7 | Performance SUV | €48,800 | 502 km |
Prices include VAT and may vary depending on local campaigns or the Rabla Plus program.
The success of the Dolphin Surf model in Romania (which entered the Top 10 electric models in the second half of the year) is explained by the features/price ratio. In a market where the average price of an electric car often exceeds €40,000, BYD's offer to offer a spacious car with cutting-edge technology and an extended warranty for under €20,000 (through subsidies) was irresistible.
Also, the Seal U DM-i hybrid model has quickly become the favorite of those who want to make the transition to electric but are still afraid of the charging infrastructure in Romania, offering a record combined range of over 1,000 km.
BYD's rise is not just about numbers, but about a paradigm shift. China is no longer just the "factory of the world", but the leader in mobility innovation. For the Romanian consumer, this competition between Tesla and BYD means only one thing: better options, safer technology and, finally, more affordable prices