China's BYD breaks into world's top 10 automakers with EV push

Tesla rival beats Mercedes-Benz, BMW in sales in first half of 2023

BYD ranked first in sales of EVs, plug-in hybrid vehicles and fuel cell vehicles across 14 major markets in the first half of the year. (Photo by Takashi Kawakami)

SEI MATSUMOTO, Nikkei staff writer

August 26, 2023 23:53 JST

TOKYO -- China's BYD has joined the world's 10 biggest car companies by sales for the first time, surpassing Mercedes-Benz Group and BMW in a sign of how electric vehicles are reshaping the auto industry.

BYD's global new vehicle sales grew 96% on the year to 1.25 million autos in the first half of 2023, putting it in 10th place, behind Japan's Suzuki Motor, data from research company MarkLines and automakers shows.