Chinese EV brand knocks Tesla off its throne: 2025 BYD Sealion 7 becomes Australia's best-selling electric car in April, stealing the Tesla Model Y's crown as the Kia EV5 and Geely EX5 circle

The BYD Sealion 7 was Australia's best-selling EV in April, marking the first time the brand has claimed the title since arriving locally in 2022.

Last month, Australians bought 743 BYD Sealion 7s as opposed to 500 Tesla Model Ys (280) and Model 3s (220), which is Tesla's lowest monthly sales since August 2022, according to sales data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and Electric Vehicle Council.

The result brings the Model Y's five-month consecutive lead as Australia's best-selling EV to an end, while marking only the second time since August 2022 a Tesla model hasn't claimed the title.

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BYD’s total sales were more than six times that of Tesla’s last month, making April the second consecutive month it has been a top-ten brand in Australia.

More than a third of BYD’s sales (1293) came from the Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute, which has notched up 6129 sales so far this year.

The new Kia EV5 (342) and Geely EX5 (324) also outsold the Model Y, which was Australia’s best-selling EV for the entirety of 2023 and 2024.

Tesla’s Australian sales fell by a staggering 76 per cent last month compared to April the previous year as the brand's global quarter one profits nosedived by 71 per cent.

Many have pointed the finger at the controversial politics of CEO Elon Musk, who has been overseeing the Trump Administration’s cost-cutting measures as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The picture couldn’t look any different for BYD, which grew its global profits by 100.3 per cent in quarter one compared to the previous year. The vast majority of sales still come from its home market, though the brand plans to sell 800,000 cars overseas this year.

Musk has said he will start returning his focus to Tesla this month as his work with DOGE concludes.

A Wall Street Journal report that claimed the Tesla board was looking to oust the controversial figurehead was quickly shut down by the brand and Musk himself, who called the report an “EXTREMELY BAD BREACH OF ETHICS” on his social media site X (formerly Twitter).

Tesla sales are expected to uptick next month as the brand officially changes over to its new Model Y. It promises more driving range and a slew of new updates, but whether it can regain the podium against a growing cohort of new Chinese and South Korean rivals is proving an uphill battle.