BYD Sealion 7 Surpasses Tesla Model Y to Become Australia’s Best-Selling EV

【PCauto】In April 2025, Australia’s electric vehicle market saw a significant shift as the BYD Sealion 7 overtook the long-time leader, the Tesla Model Y, to become the country’s top-selling electric car.

Since 2023, the Tesla Model Y had held the title of Australia’s best-selling EV. However, with an upcoming model refresh, Tesla is currently clearing out inventory, resulting in a sharp decline in April sales. Compared to the same period last year, Model Y sales dropped by 76%, delivering only 500 units. The model also fell from first to eighth place on the sales chart, moving just 280 units in the month.

In contrast, the BYD Sealion 7 climbed to the top with 743 units sold. Following BYD and Tesla Model Y, the MG4 ranked second with 363 sales, closely followed by the BYD Atto 3 at 355 units. Overall, Australia’s EV sales in April totaled 6,010 units, a 44.2% decrease compared to the same month in 2024.

The plug-in hybrid market endured a major hit in April, suffering a steep sales drop. This was primarily due to changes in the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption policy, which directly impacted demand. While plug-in hybrid sales hit 6,932 units in March, they plunged to 2,601 units in April—a drop of nearly 5,000 vehicles. Despite this decline, April sales still represented a 95% increase year-on-year. Among plug-in hybrids, the BYD Shark 6 ute led with 1,293 sales, although it saw a notable decrease from March’s 2,810 units.

Beyond Australia, Tesla also lost ground to BYD in the UK. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), Tesla sold just 512 cars last month in the UK—far below the over 1,300 units in April 2024.

In comparison, Chinese brand BYD sold 2,511 vehicles in the UK in April, marking a 650% year-on-year increase. Other Chinese brands, Jaecoo and Omoda (both under Chery), registered sales of 1,053 and 910 units respectively, despite having only launched in the UK last year. Last month, Jaecoo’s sales in UK nearly doubled Tesla’s.

Tesla is facing multiple pressures globally. On one hand, CEO Elon Musk’s political stances have sparked protests in some European cities, leading to attacks on Tesla vehicles and showrooms, and causing Tesla’s stock dropped 2.7% in early Tuesday trading, marking a 28% decline since the start of the year.

On the other hand, Tesla encounters fierce competition from traditional automakers such as Volkswagen and Chinese manufacturers in the European market. Although the EU imposed tariffs last year, Chinese carmakers are aggressively expanding their presence in Europe.

To combat falling sales, Tesla has started offering up to two years of free Supercharging on certain Model Y variants in the UK. Nevertheless, registration data from multiple countries show Tesla’s sales still experienced double-digit declines in April. Even the launch of an updated Model Y failed to reverse the downward trend.