<div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> After publishing our report on the top selling EV models in the world in December and 2025 as a whole, as well as an overall report on global EV progress, here’s our complementary report on the auto brands and groups leading EV sales around the world. <h2>Geely on the Way Up, BYD &amp; Tesla … Not So Much.</h2> In December, BYD remained at the helm, but sales were again down YoY. Have we reached peak BYD? Time will tell, but I believe in the long run, no single OEM will have more than 10% market share. Currently, BYD has much more than that…. On the podium, there weren’t any surprises. Tesla was second despite continuously falling sales (it was down 5% YoY), while Geely had yet another six-digit score. And while this is not yet enough to remove Tesla from the runner-up position, it’s only a matter of time until that happens. If not in 2026, then it will surely happen in 2027 — or 10 years after the last time Tesla didn’t win silver or gold. This is especially likely since Tesla won’t have a new model that can change its fortunes around until 2027. The Cybercab, assuming it will have a steering wheel and pedals, won’t sell more than 150,000 units/year once production is at full speed, in 2027. The Roadster, if it lands by then, will sell a small fraction of this. So, the best that Tesla can expect to sell at the end of 2027 is around 1.7 million units … which is the lower limit of what Geely should sell that year. <img height="2560" src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2025-12-World-Top-20-Brand-December-scaled.png?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="1929" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2025-12-World-Top-20-Brand-December-scaled.png"/> In a record month, record performances were abundant, and this time it wasn’t only the Chinese makes achieving them. True, #7 AITO (56,781 deliveries), #10 Fang Cheng Bao (48,917 deliveries), #17 NIO (31,897 deliveries), and #20 Zeekr (33,751 deliveries) all had record performances, but other makes from different geographies also shined. Starting with the Vietnamese brand Vinfast, it scored a record 36,496 registrations, allowing it a best ever position in 17th. Vinfast is starting to gain traction, and by taking a page from the best practices in China, it could become a successful case for EV brands across the world. Now, about those export markets…. The popular German brand Audi also scored a record-high total. Although, in this case, I suspect it had more to do with pushing sales before the year end, with discounts and such, than increased demand. Which isn’t the case for its Czech stablemate, Skoda, which is profiting from the success of the Elroq and continuing to score record results, like its 26,223 sales in December. With the Epiq small crossover and a larger 7-seat crossover (the “Peak”?) landing in 2026, expect the Czech make to continue scoring record results, and maybe even a random top 20 presence. Still outside the top 20, and still in Europe, the French Renault is back in the game, having reached 25,592 units in December, its best result in 5 years. At that time, the Renault Zoe was at its peak, having been 3rd globally thanks to some 100,000 sales of the French hatchback. Will Renault get back to such heights? Volume-wise, yes. As for winning a medal on the global stage … I have serious doubts. Right now, you need at least half a million units to have a chance at the 3rd spot. The best selling model from Renault, the Clio, sold half that in 2024…. Still, thanks to fresh (and beautiful) metal, Renault is back again. With a number of new launches this year (new Twingo, refreshed Megane…), the French brand is hoping to return to the top 20 table in 2026. <img height="2560" src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2025-12-World-Top-20-YTD-Brand-January-December-scaled.png?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="1929" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2025-12-World-Top-20-YTD-Brand-January-December-scaled.png"/> In the final 2025 table, there wasn’t much to report at the top. BYD ended well ahead of everyone else, despite the current slowdown, while #2 Tesla was a comfortable runner-up. These two have kept their gold and silver positions since 2022, but 2026 should bring some changes, as a rising Geely is now close enough to Tesla to challenge it in the race for the #2 spot. With basically no changes happening in December, apart from Audi climbing one position to 16th, it is time to compare the final standing of 2025 with the one of 2024. The main news is Geely replacing Wuling on the podium, allowing Geely its first medal. Additionally, Volkswagen improved its standing, going from 7th in 2024 to 5th in 2025. Leapmotor jumped six positions, from #12 in 2024 to its current #6 position, while Xpeng and Xiaomi came out of nowhere to win top 10 positions. These are the three Chinese startups to look out for in 2026, as all three have plenty of ambition (and fresh metal) in order to climb a few more positions up the table, and further endanger legacy OEMs. On the flipside, Aion dropped six positions from 2024 to 2025, ending the year in 14th, while Chery and Changan disappeared from the top 20. Even Chinese legacy OEMs are feeling the pinch…. <img height="1634" src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2025-12-World-Top-OEM-BEVPHEV-December.png?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="2040" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2025-12-World-Top-OEM-BEVPHEV-December.png"/> Looking at registrations by OEM, there was no major news at the top, with the podium bearers holding firm in their positions. But big news came just below them — Volkswagen Group surpassed SAIC in the last stage of the race! Comparing the 2025 positions with those of 2024, the only change is that Geely and Tesla switched positions, with Geely now ahead of the US make. And considering Tesla’s ongoing share bleed*, we might see Volkswagen Group and SAIC surpass the Texan during 2026 as both run toe to toe for the last place on the podium. (*This year’s 7.9% share compares badly with the 10.7% share the Texan OEM had 12 months ago, and even more poorly compared to where it was 24 months ago — 13.3% share!) On a different note, although 2026 should be too soon for Geely to challenge BYD’s domination of the EV market, if current market dynamics continue as they have, 2027 could be the year that Geely will be strong enough to go against BYD in the race to be the best selling OEM in the plugin car market. And competition is welcome…. Outside the top 5, the big news was the rise of Chery, which benefitted from all those Jaecoo and Omoda exports to Europe and elsewhere to surpass BMW Group and Hyundai–Kia and end the year in 7th. This is particularly concerning for the Korean OEM, because while #8 BMW can defend itself with its premiumness, both #6 Changan (4.2% share) and #7 Chery (3.5%) play in the same mainstream market as Hyundai and Kia…. And let’s not forget that #9 Hyundai–Kia (3%) already has #10 Leapmotor (2.9%) breathing down its neck. <img height="1634" src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2025-12-World-Top-OEM-BEV-December.png?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="2040" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2025-12-World-Top-OEM-BEV-December.png"/> Looking just at BEVs … While leader BYD (16.6%, down from 16.9% in November) is sliding on the top, Tesla (12%) is basically crashing, having lost 4.5 percentage points in one year — in 2024, Tesla was still the leader of the category with 16.5% share. And with #3 Geely rising (10.4% in 2025 vs 8.5% in 2024), it won’t be surprising to see Tesla drop another position in 2026. 2027? Maybe not even in the top 5! With both #4 SAIC and #5 Volkswagen Group slowly rising, thanks to plenty of fresh metal in the pipeline, and Tesla continuing to drop, due to lack of fresh metal, it could be the case that Tesla will disappear from the radar of the best selling OEMs next year…. And to think that in November 2023 Tesla was the undisputed leader, with 19.2% share! In the C-League, #6 Hyundai–Kia (3.6%, down 0.1%) continued to suffer from the US sales hangover, but it still had enough distance over #7 BMW Group and #8 Xpeng to end 2025 in the 6th position, one position above what it had in 2024. </div></div>

The report on global EV sales in 2025 highlights BYD leading the market despite a YoY sales decline, with Tesla in second place also experiencing a drop. Geely is rapidly closing in on Tesla, potentially challenging for the second spot by 2026. Other brands like Vinfast and Skoda achieved record sales, while Renault is making a comeback. The final standings show BYD and Tesla maintaining their positions, with Geely replacing Wuling on the podium. The report indicates a competitive landscape with several emerging Chinese startups poised for growth in the coming years.

- The report highlights the leading auto brands in electric vehicle (EV) sales for 2025, with BYD securing the top spot despite a year-over-year decline.  
- Tesla remains in second place, facing falling sales, while Geely is close to overtaking it, possibly by 2027.  
- Other brands like VinFast and Skoda show strong performance, indicating shifting dynamics in the EV market as competition intensifies.

Global EV Sales Leaders — Top Selling Brands & OEMs in 2025