China’s leading EV maker, BYD, sold more vehicles than Honda and Nissan for the first time in the second quarter. BYD is now the world’s seventh-largest automaker. With low-cost EVs hitting key global markets, BYD is quickly catching up to Ford.
A big part of BYD’s surging sales numbers is its incredibly affordable electric cars. BYD continues slashing prices while releasing lower-cost EV models.
BYD sold 105,000 vehicles outside of China, roughly tripling from last year. After launching in key markets like Mexico, Brazil, Japan, Europe, Thailand, and other Southeast Asian countries, BYD is already a leading EV brand.
While BYD’s sales jumped 35% in China in June, Honda and many foreign rivals had double-digit sales declines. And it’s not only in China. Honda plans to halve capacity in Thailand, where BYD is already emerging as a market leader.
Meanwhile, BYD plans to expand into Ford’s territory by selling vehicles in Canada. It’s also closing in on a plant in Mexico that will produce 150,000 vehicles in its first stage.
Ford has already announced it’s shifting to smaller, more affordable EVs as it looks to overcome massive losses. The American automaker lost $2.5 billion on its electric vehicles through the first half of 2024 after losing $4.7 billion in 2023.
Meanwhile, a recent study from Rhodium Group found that BYD earns over $15,000 (14,300 euros) on every Seal U model sold in the EU.