April EV Sales Disappoint As Tesla Drops Behind BYD AGAIN

Australia’s electric vehicle market slowed again in April, posting just 6,010 EV sales, equal to 6.6% of all new car sales. That’s down from 7.5% in March, though slightly up from 6.4% a year ago.

Elon Musk's Tesla sold just 5,660 EVs in the first four months of 2025, a staggering fall from the 14,866 units it moved in the same period last year. That alone accounts for the market’s year-on-year decline, with non-Tesla EV sales actually on the rise.

▶️MORE: 2025 BYD Sealion 7 Price and Specs Revealed

Tesla’s fall: Discounts, delays, and disinterest

The wait for the refreshed Model Y, expected to arrive in May, is one reason behind the slump. Tesla has also slashed prices by up to $9,000 on outgoing stock, a move that failed to ignite interest. Model Y and Model 3 sales both plunged 75% in April, sending them tumbling to seventh and eighth on the monthly EV sales chart.

Globally, Tesla’s downturn mirrors trends in Europe and North America, where backlash over Elon Musk’s politics is being increasingly cited as a factor. In Sweden alone, April sales dropped by 81%.

▶️MORE: 2025 Tesla Model Y price and specs

BYD Surges Ahead

While Tesla stumbles, BYD continues to climb. The Chinese automaker dominated Australia’s EV leaderboard in April, with its new Sealion 7 taking the top spot at 743 units sold. The Atto 3 followed close behind with 355 sales, bolstered by its new budget-friendly Essentials trim.

Another strong performer was the BYD Seal (325 sales), while the company also dominated the plug-in hybrid segment. Its Shark 6 ute alone made up nearly half of all PHEVs sold last month (1,293 out of 2,601).

▶️MORE: What BYD electric cars are coming to Australia?

April's EV winners: Sealion 7 tops the list

Here’s how the top 10 EVs stacked up in April 2025:

• BYD Sealion 7 – 743
• MG MG4 – 363
• BYD Atto 3 – 355
• Kia EV5 – 342
• Kia EV3 – 336
• BYD Seal – 325
• Geely EX5 – 324
• Tesla Model Y – 280
• Tesla Model 3 – 220
• BYD Dolphin – 216

Polestar also chipped in with 124 units of the new Polestar 4. Data for some models is still pending and may shift final rankings.