Mockery To Market Loss: Musk Once Laughed At BYD; Today, Tesla Lost EV Crown To Chinese Carmaker
What was once a casual laugh from Elon Musk is now viewed against delivery numbers that show BYD firmly ahead.
Years ago, in a televised interview, Elon Musk said he did not see BYD as a competitor at all. An old video clip from that exchange later resurfaced online, drawing renewed attention to how the electric vehicle market has shifted since.
The clip is brief, but it continues to travel across social media. In it, Elon Musk is asked what he thinks of BYD. He laughs. The interviewer presses on, asking if he views the Chinese automaker as a rival. Musk replies that he does not.
The exchange took place years ago during a televised interview with Bloomberg. At the time, the moment passed quickly on air. Over time, however, it became a reference point, often reshared whenever comparisons between Tesla and BYD return to the spotlight.
The clip surfaced again in May 2023, when it was reposted on X. Musk responded directly. He said the interview dated back many years and added that BYD’s cars are "highly competitive these days". The reply acknowledged that the industry had changed since the interview was recorded.
That resurfacing has gained fresh significance as sales data now underline how sharply the market has moved.
Tesla Inc. has handed over the position of the world's largest seller of electric vehicles to China’s BYD Co. The shift marks a reversal for the company that helped drive global adoption of plug-in cars over the past decade.
Tesla’s vehicle deliveries fell 8.6% in 2025, its second straight year of decline. The slowdown capped a difficult period for the Austin-based automaker. Fourth-quarter deliveries dropped 16% to 418,227 vehicles, according to company statements.
BYD’s trajectory ran in the opposite direction.
Sales Gap Widens
BYD increased battery-electric vehicle sales both in the latest quarter and across the full year. The Chinese carmaker delivered close to 2.26 million EVs in 2025, compared with Tesla’s 1.64 million.
The figures highlight how the competitive balance has shifted since the televised interview in which Musk dismissed BYD as a rival. What was once a casual laugh is now viewed against delivery numbers that show BYD firmly ahead.
Despite that change, investors have largely looked past Tesla’s weaker standing in the global EV ranking. Market attention has instead centred on Musk’s focus on artificial intelligence and autonomous driving. He has repeatedly highlighted developments tied to a long-promised robotaxi service, drawing focus away from Tesla’s core car business.
That contrast has helped keep the old clip relevant. The interview belongs to another phase of the EV industry. The sales numbers belong to the present. Together, they capture how a competitor once waved aside has gone on to take the lead in the global electric car market.
