There were 1.6 million units registered in May.
Global plugin vehicle registrations were up 22% in May 2025 compared to May 2024. There were over 1.6 million registrations. BEVs grew 19% YoY to over 1 million units, compared to plugin hybrids growing 28% to over half a million units in the same period.
In the end, plugins represented 25% share of the overall auto market (16% BEV share alone), pulling the YTD numbers to 22% share (15% BEV), an increase of one percent. Considering that June should be a peak month, expect the market share to continue to climb. We might end the first half of the year at 23% EV share.
Full electric vehicles (BEVs) represented 65% of plugin registrations in May, slightly below the year-to-date tally of 66% share. 2024 finished with 63% share for BEVs, so 2025 is turning out to be a positive year for pure electrics in this metric.
20 Best Selling EV Models in the World in May
Regarding May’s best sellers, the big news is that the Tesla Model Y, despite a sales drop of 19% YoY, has managed to return to the top spot, thanks to some 75,000 registrations, thus replacing another veteran model, the BYD Song, itself also experiencing sales blues — its sales were down 11% YoY, to some 56,000 registrations, something that could have been worse if export markets (Europe, Brazil, etc.) hadn’t helped to close the gap.
As for the Model Y, with the first refreshed units landing in March, it was expected that the numbers would recover somewhat. But after a dismal month of April, where deliveries were down by 29% YoY, May was also in red, albeit by just 19%. Better luck in June? If that one turns out to also have dropping sales, then … Houston Austin, we have a problem.
Especially considering that the Tesla Model 3 is hurting even more than its crossover sibling, with the sedan seeing its deliveries drop by 29% in May to some 33,000 registrations, no doubt squeezed between the increased direct competition and the refresh of the Model Y, which has surely diverted many possible Model 3 clients to the crossover.
Elsewhere, there isn’t much to mention. The Geely Xingyuan won May’s bronze medal, thanks to a record 38,715 registrations (its 5th record score in a row!), keeping its direct rival, the BYD Seagull, in 4th, some 800 units behind. Geely’s star player is still ramping up deliveries in its domestic market. Also, depending on how committed and how fast Geely starts exporting it, we might even see the little hatchback fighting for the #1 spot!
Still, with the smaller BYD hatchback now starting its career in Europe, expect it to also start adding higher sales volumes, with these two small hatchbacks competing for a podium position in Tesla’s off-peak months.
Keeping in the BYD stable, we have the Sealion 05 crossover ramping up deliveries, to some 15,000 units, allowing it to join the table in #19. This meant that BYD had 10 representatives in the global top 20!
Off the table, the highlights were the #21 Leapmotor C10 (13,567 registrations), narrowly missing the 20th spot. The #20 VW ID.4 was the only legacy OEM model on the table. With the second half of the year being the strongest in China, and the Chinese operations of Volkswagen in the doldrums, it will only be a matter of time until even the German crossover is kicked off of the table, thus making the top 20 a fully Chinese + Tesla affair.
As further proof of this, the second best selling legacy EV was the VW ID.3, with 10,976 registrations, well behind new models coming from China, like the AITO M8 full size SUV (12,116 registrations) and the BYD Sealion 07 (11,866 registrations).
Top 20 EV Models YTD
On the year-to-date (YTD) table, the Tesla Model Y and BYD Song held their firm grip on the top positions, while the Tesla Model 3 was stable in the #3 position, benefitting from a 25,000-unit lead over the #4 BYD Seagull and #5 Geely Xingyue.
Interestingly, the podium positions replicate the final standings in 2024, 2023, and 2022 — the Tesla Model Y on top, followed by the BYD Song and the Tesla Model 3. As I’ve written before, considering current trends, it doesn’t seem like there will be major changes to the podium by the end of the year, so 2025 will be the 4th year in a row with the same podium standings. Boooring….
Things are more interesting in the second half of the table, though. The Li Xiang L6 and Geely Panda Mini climbed to 11th and 12th, respectively, mostly thanks to a slow month for the Xpeng Mona M03, which failed to join May’s top 20.
Unsurprisingly, the BYD lineup had a number of models climbing positions, with the highlight being the Dolphin hatchback jumping three spots to #15 while the small crossover Yuan Up climbed to #18 and the BYD Song L joined the table at #19. Therefore, there were 10 BYD models in the 2025 top 20!
Elsewhere, a mention goes out to the Wuling Bingo, with the small hatchback going up to #17.
Is it just me, or are small cars on the rise?…
Top Selling Brands
Despite this time losing May’s silver medal to Tesla (111,500 registrations, down 24% YoY), Geely continues riding high in its quest to challenge BYD’s domination and surpass Tesla on the way. With a strong portfolio of models in China, and now making its first real steps in export markets, Geely has secured another record performance in May, delivering 104,120 units.
BYD remained at the helm, tripling the sales of runner-up Tesla, but sales seem to be plateauing at home, so BYD export numbers will have to start growing in significant volumes in order to continue the rapid growth of previous years.
Wuling was 4th, followed by #5 Volkswagen and #6 BMW.
Down below, the highlight is #7 Leapmotor continuing its record streak. Its sales jumped 148% YoY, to over 45,000 units, thus making it the hottest selling Chinese startup at this point.
That is, at least until Xiaomi starts to ramp up production of its new YU7…. I expect Xiaomi’s production output to be somewhere in the 50,000 units per month range by the end of the year, which should give Leapmotor a run for its money.
Still on the Chinese startup list, a mention goes out to AITO, which surged to 9th thanks to 36,000 registrations, its best result in 10 months. That was much thanks to the successful launch of the M8 model, which somehow hasn’t eaten into the M9 flagship model’s sales — even though it is also a comfy, full size SUV.
At the bottom end, we have Deepal and Ford returning to the table, with the Dearborn-based brand benefitting from increased volumes from its European operations, and possibly some anticipated demand in its home market as people rush to buy their EVs before the increased tariffs and phaseout of the EV subsidy.
Outside the top 20, we should also highlight Changan’s Qiyuan EV-only brand, which hit a record score of 18,343 units. The Czech Skoda also once again hit a record score, thanks to 19,413 registrations. Will Skoda become a familiar face on the table?
In the YTD table, there wasn’t much to report at the top. BYD is well ahead of everyone else, while #2 Tesla has an advantage of over 65,000 units over #3 Geely — so, it has its silver medal safe.
Below the podium, #5 Volkswagen and #6 BMW are in a close race for the title of best selling legacy brand, with no clear vision of who will win this particular duel. In May, the Wolfsburg make surpassed the Bavarian, but June might turn things around again.
Regarding current trends, #7 Leap Motor surpassed Xpeng and Li Auto, thanks to a seemingly never ending record streak. That was on the backs of the C10 and B10 crossovers. Down below, AITO surpassed Ford and is now in 18th, all while it looks to surpass #17 Audi and #16 Hyundai in June.
Top Selling OEMs for EV Sales
Looking at registrations by OEM, #1 BYD lost share, going from 24.7% to its current 24.3%, but it is still quite comfortably in the lead. It has an advantage of 13% market share over #2 Geely, which was stable at 11.3%.
Geely’s progression is nothing short of astounding. A year ago, the Chinese OEM was 3rd with 7.9% share, a 3.4 percentage point progression. That’s almost the opposite of Tesla, which lost 3.6 percentage points share in the same period.
Still talking Tesla-land, the US make lost more share in May, going from 7.6% to its current 7.4%, so Tesla now has exactly half the share it had two years ago (14.8%)!!!
AND … it has to keep an eye on 4th placed Volkswagen Group. Currently at 7.3% share, the German OEM has gained significant ground on Tesla and is now just 2,000 units behind the Texan brand. Sure, June’s peak will allow Tesla to keep Volkswagen at bay, but still … we are witnessing Tesla defending its #3 position from Volkswagen.
Imagine that two years ago!
If Tesla continues to experience sales blues in the coming months, then the German OEM might even have a shot at surpassing Tesla this year!
Outside the top 5, BMW Group (3.6%) lost the 6th position to Changan (3.7%, up from 3.6% in April) and #8 Hyundai–Kia is also not too far off (3.3% in May, down from 3.4% in April).
Looking Just at BEVs …
While BYD (17.2% in May, up from 16.7% in April) continues to consolidate its leadership position, #3 Tesla (11.2%, down 0.2% compared to April) continues sliding and losing contact with #2 Geely (11.7%, up 0.1% in May).
Sure, Tesla will probably recover the #2 spot in June, but …
… its silver medal is in danger. If nothing changes at Tesla, it will start losing positions as the sales inertia effect continues to fade.
And to think that a year ago, Tesla was the leader, with 17.2% share. It has had a full 6% share drop in a year! And regarding May 2023, the difference is even more impressive. Back in May 2024, all-mighty Tesla had 21.2% share! A full 10% share loss in just two years!
Anyway, back to the top 5.
In 4th, we have Volkswagen Group (7.9%). Compared to where it was a year ago, the German OEM surpassed SAIC and gained 1% market share (6.9% then vs. 7.9% now).
Hyundai–Kia remained stable, at 4% share. It thus kept the #6 position, and kept #7 BMW (3.7%) and #8 Xpeng (3.4%) at bay.
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