As major global automakers release their 2025 sales figures, BYD’s annual sales of 4.602 million vehicles make it the first Chinese automaker to enter the global top six by volume.
Ford’s 2025 financial report, released on Feb. 10, shows its global wholesale volume declined 1.7% year on year to about 4.395 million units.
Over the same period, BYD’s total sales reached 4.602 million units, surpassing Ford for the first time and entering the top six global automakers by sales.
The shift is more striking compared with five years ago, when Ford’s sales were roughly five times those of BYD. The ranking has now effectively reversed.
According to publicly available data, the top five global automakers by sales in 2025 were Toyota with 11.32 million units, VW with 8.98 million units, Hyundai with 7.28 million units, GM with 6.18 million units, and Stellantis with 5.48 million units. BYD ranked sixth.
Ford maintained some growth momentum in the U.S. market, but its market share continued to contract in both Europe and China.
In China in particular, domestic manufacturers including HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance), BYD, Xiaomi and Geely captured significant market share.
Financial data show Ford recorded a net loss of approximately $8.18 billion in fiscal 2025, a sharp reversal from a net profit of $5.88 billion in 2024.
Its electric vehicle business alone posted a full-year loss of $4.8 billion. Ford has announced $19.5 billion in strategic adjustment charges, underscoring the cost pressures associated with its electrification transition, which have weighed on overall performance.
In contrast, BYD continued to expand in the new energy vehicle segment.
In 2025, its battery electric vehicle sales reached 2.26 million units, giving it a global market share of 18.3% and allowing it to surpass Tesla in 2025 BEV sales for the first time as the world’s top EV seller.
In the 2025 global EV sales Top 20 ranking, BYD placed nine models on the list, accounting for nearly half of the entries. The Song model alone sold 500,000 units, ranking second globally.
Overseas markets have become a key source of incremental growth.
In 2025, BYD’s exports reached 1.05 million units, spanning Europe, South America and multiple Asian markets. The company plans to raise its 2026 export target to 1.3 million units.
Although BYD does not currently sell passenger vehicles in the United States, its U.S. operations cover buses and commercial vehicles, batteries, energy storage systems and solar panels.
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