The electric vehicle market has heated up again, kicking off the first quarter of 2026 with a major shift as American giant Tesla ramped up sales to overtake strong competitor BYD, successfully reclaiming the No. 1 leadership position in the BEV market after losing it late last year.

On 8 Apr 2026 GMT+7, Tesla officially regained the title of the world's top pure electric vehicle (Pure EV) manufacturer by surpassing its Chinese rival BYD in sales during Q1 2026, after having lost the crown to BYD in Q4 2023.

Tesla delivered 358,023 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) worldwide, a 6.5% increase compared to the same period last year. BYD's pure electric vehicle deliveries stood at 310,389 units, trailing Tesla by nearly 48,000 vehicles.

This turnaround was partly due to the contraction of subsidies and new tax measures implemented in China, such as:

The vehicle trade-in program, where customers exchanging old cars for new ones now receive a limited discount of 12% of the vehicle price, capped at 20,000 yuan (about 100,000 baht), down from previous full subsidy without a cap.

Sales tax on EVs: The Chinese government began imposing a 5% sales tax on electric vehicles after exempting them last year. This change increased costs by tens of thousands of baht, causing many Chinese families to delay their purchase decisions.

As a result, domestic demand for EVs slowed, giving Tesla a competitive advantage on the global stage.

Tesla's global sales strength remains bolstered by its Shanghai Gigafactory, which produced 213,398 vehicles in Q1—accounting for over half of Tesla's worldwide sales. Additionally, Tesla's strategy to attract Chinese customers includes offering special low-interest loans and extending installment plans up to 7 years, making Model 3 and Model Y monthly payments start under 10,000 baht.

However, while BYD still dominates the market when plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sales are included, Tesla has reclaimed the lead in the pure electric vehicle category. This outcome is notable compared to last year's narratives portraying Tesla as losing ground to Chinese competitors.

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EV Throne Battle Heats Up: Tesla Surges to Reclaim Global No. 1 in Q1 2026, Overtaking BYD