BYD is already the world’s largest EV maker, but the company’s CEO is confident it will become the world’s leading global automaker within the next five years.
Can BYD become the world’s largest automaker?
After it stopped making cars powered solely by internal combustion engines (ICE) in 2022 to focus on battery electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles, BYD’s big bet has paid off so far.
With over 4.6 million new energy vehicles (NEVs) sold last year, which includes EVs and PHEVs, BYD surpassed Ford for the first time, ranking as the sixth largest global automaker.
According to BYD’s CEO, Wang Chuanfu, the Chinese EV giant is just getting started with new battery and charging tech set to drive growth over the next few years.
While addressing shareholders at the company’s annual meeting on Tuesday, Wang said that “BYD will truly become the No. 1 automaker globally in terms of scale in five years.” BYD confirmed Wang’s comments to Reuters, but didn’t offer any additional context.
Ford and BYD total global sales in 2025 (Source: Bloomberg)
Can it be done? To win the global auto crown, it will need to overtake Toyota, which sold 11.3 million vehicles, or twice as many as BYD in 2025.
It is possible. BYD’s overseas sales have surged in recent months, reaching over 160,000 in May for the first time, as it continues to steal market share from Toyota, Volkswagen, and other global OEMs in key regions like Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia, Mexico, and Brazil.
Stella Li, BYD’s executive vice president and CEO of BYD Americas, at the Dolphin Mini launch event in Brazil and Mexico (Source: BYD)
In several overseas markets, including Australia, Brazil, and the UK, BYD has become the best-selling EV brand, surpassing Tesla and Kia.
After launching its breakthrough Blade Battery 2.0 and Flash Charging system in March, BYD has seen an uptick in demand with orders for vehicles equipped with the new tech.
BYD Denza Z9 GT makes its European debut (Source: BYD)
Wang said last month that demand has exceeded the company’s battery production capacity, with orders for some new models reaching over 100,000.
BYD opened its first Flash Charging stations in Europe and the UK this week, kicking off its global rollout. By the end of 2026, BYD aims to install 300 Flash Chargers across the UK and 3,000 across Europe.
BYD opens first Flash Chargers in Germany (Source: Klaus Hartmann/ BYD)
With the capacity to deliver up to 1,500 kW of charging power, BYD’s Flash Charging stations can recharge a compatible vehicle’s battery from 10% to 70% in just 5 minutes. For a full recharge (10% to 97%), it takes only 9 minutes.
Electrek’s Take
While global OEMs, including Ford and Toyota, continue to delay or cancel major EV projects, BYD is capitalizing on the industry’s shift to electrification.
Aside from the windows and doors, BYD already builds nearly everything in-house, including batteries, electric motors, drivetrains, electronic control systems, infotainment systems, and even the software that powers them.
Just last month, it introduced China’s first in-house 4nm smart driving chip. BYD said the new chip enables “the highest level of vehicle intelligence,” with L3 and L4 autonomous driving capabilities.
Meanwhile, Toyota, Ford, and several other global automakers are turning to BYD for batteries or other EV components to keep pace.
Will BYD overtake Toyota and Volkswagen to become the world’s largest automaker within the next five years? I wouldn’t rule it out. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Bloomberg, Reuters
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