BYD Leads Tesla in August EV Brand Sales as Model Y Tops Models

August sales data show a split picture for Tesla: its Model Y remained the world’s best-selling pure electric vehicle, while BYD sold more vehicles overall than Tesla.

According to figures reported by CleanTechnica, the Model Y nearly doubled the sales of its closest rival, the BYD Song, also known as the Seal U, in August. But BYD led the automaker sales ranking, with 375,373 vehicles compared with Tesla’s 141,996.

Chinese brands accounted for a growing share of the leading sellers. The Geely Xingyuan, sold as the EX2 outside China, and the BYD Song were closing in on the Model Y. The report also said three other BYD models were close behind Tesla’s Model 3.

In year-to-date figures through August 2026, BYD had 20.3% of global plug-in vehicle sales, ahead of Geely at 9.9% and Tesla at 8.3%. Volkswagen Group had 7%, followed by SAIC at 6.3%.

The data also showed differing trends by vehicle type: battery electric vehicle sales grew 13% year over year, while plug-in hybrid sales fell 12%. The report points to competition from smaller, more affordable electric cars as a possible challenge for Tesla, whose lineup currently includes the Model 3 and Model Y.