In this graphic, Visual Capitalist's Marcus Lu ranks the world’s best-selling cars from 2024 using data compiled by Statista. 

Will Tesla Retain the Crown in 2025?

With Tesla sales sputtering in the early days of 2025, it’s possible that the once untouchable EV maker could start to fall down the rankings.

We can see in this graphic that Toyota, the world’s biggest automaker by sales, has two models close behind the Model Y.

To stay competitive, Tesla recently revealed its long-awaited Model Y refresh codenamed ‘Juniper’. With a fresh exterior design and new interior, Juniper could also help Tesla stay on pace with China’s fast-growing BYD.

BYD’s Global Expansion

Coming in at #9 is the BYD Song, a series of compact crossover SUVs sold in gasoline, plug-in hybrid, and pure EV configurations.

The model is exported to European markets as the BYD Seal U, and in Southeast Asian and Oceania as the BYD Sealion 6.

While the bulk of BYD’s sales come from its home market, China, the brand is making impressive progress in other countries. In Australia, the Sealion 6 became the country’s top-selling plug-in hybrid (PHEV) in 2024.

As of March 5, 2025, BYD shares (ADR) are up 34% YTD, while Tesla shares have fallen by -31%. Despite the drop, Tesla remains the world’s most valuable automaker with a valuation of $898B, down from its December 2024 peak of $1.4T.

If you enjoyed this post, check out A Regional Breakdown of Automaker Sales on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.