Chinese electric cars dominate sales for first time beating Tesla as drivers back away from Elon Musk's brand

This breakthrough represents a major achievement for the Chinese group, which has been aggressively expanding into overseas markets in recent years.

The shift in market leadership comes as BYD continues to gain momentum across European countries, while Tesla faces challenges in maintaining its previously dominant position.

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BYD's monthly registrations jumped by an impressive 169 per cent year-on-year, while Tesla experienced a significant 49 per cent decline during the same period.

The Chinese brand also saw growth when including plug-in hybrid vehicles, with registrations soaring by 359 per cent compared to the previous year.

This dramatic shift in market dynamics comes as Chinese manufacturers continue to strengthen their position in the European automotive landscape.

Felipe Munoz, a global analyst at Jato Dynamics, described the move by BYD as "a watershed moment for Europe's car market, particularly when you consider that Tesla has led the European battery electric vehicle market for years, while BYD only officially began operations beyond Norway and the Netherlands in late 2022."

The data also revealed that several European manufacturers outperformed Tesla in pure electric car sales for April, with Renault, Škoda, Volkswagen, Audi and BMW all registering higher numbers than the American company.

To date, the Chinese manufacturer has launched eight electric models across more than 30 European countries in recent years.

Among these offerings is the compact Seagull hatchback, priced as low as €22,990 (£19,330), which has virtually no direct rivals in its segment.

Jolin Zhang, deputy managing director of BYD Europe, outlined the company's ambitions at the FT's Future of the Car summit last week, stating: "We have a mission that we need to have all of BYD's high technology and innovation reach as many customers as possible in the world."

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The company revealed that it also plans to establish local production through plants in Hungary and Turkey to address EU tariffs.

Tesla's declining European sales come despite a recent upgrade of its flagship Model Y car. The car manufacturer has been hampered by an ageing product portfolio and a backlash to Musk's intervention in regional politics.

But to combat this, Musk recently announced he would be stepping back from his Government role in the US to focus on running the carmaker after its first-quarter profits fell to the lowest level since late 2020.

Meanwhile, European manufacturers have been aggressively rolling out new battery-powered vehicles at more affordable prices, partly driven by the need to meet tougher emissions regulations in the EU that came into effect this year.

BYD currently offers the electric Atto 2, Atto 3, Sealion 7 and Dolphin, as well as the hybrid Seal U DM-i to drivers in the UK.