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BYD's Dolphin EV Joins Elite Million-Unit Club as Chinese Automaker Accelerates European Expansion

MarketDash Editorial Team
3 days ago
BYD's Dolphin becomes the sixth electric vehicle ever to reach one million units sold, marking another milestone for the Chinese automaker as it aggressively expands into European markets and challenges Tesla's dominance.

The competition between BYD (BYDDY) and Tesla Inc. (TSLA) just got more interesting. BYD's Dolphin electric vehicle has crossed the one million unit sales threshold, joining an exclusive club of EVs that have achieved this milestone.

It's a notable achievement in the rapidly evolving global electric vehicle landscape, and it highlights how BYD is building a portfolio of hit models while expanding aggressively beyond its Chinese home market.

The Million-Unit Club Gets More Crowded

Only six electric vehicles have ever sold more than one million units, and BYD now claims three of those spots. The Dolphin joins the company's Atto 3 and Seagull models in the million-unit club. The Seagull reached the milestone earlier this year after just 27 months on the market, according to InsideEVs.

The other members of this exclusive group include Wuling Motors' Mini EV, which has moved over 1.8 million units and hit the milestone in 2023, plus two vehicles from Tesla: the Model 3 and Model Y. Tesla's Model 3 was actually the first EV ever to reach one million units back in 2021.

Launched in China in 2021, the Dolphin goes by several names depending on the market and has been experiencing particularly strong growth in Europe recently.

Export Numbers Tell the Story

BYD's recent sales figures show just how serious the company is about international expansion. In November, the automaker sold 480,186 new energy vehicles, marking its highest monthly total in 2025. Battery-powered electric vehicle sales specifically reached 237,540 units, up 19.9% year-over-year and 6.7% from October.

But here's where it gets really interesting: BYD exported a record 131,935 vehicles in November alone. That figure was up a staggering 325.9% year-over-year and 57.3% from October. From January through November, the company sold 912,911 vehicles overseas, up 153.6% year-over-year.

Europe in the Crosshairs

Those export numbers aren't random. According to Reuters, BYD wants to double its European presence by the end of 2026, a move that puts pressure squarely on Tesla and legacy European automakers.

The company is backing up that ambition with manufacturing capacity. BYD plans to build a second production facility in Europe, possibly in Turkey, to complement its new Hungarian plant. That Hungarian facility alone is expected to have an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles.

Having local production in Europe could be a game-changer for BYD, allowing the company to ramp up sales quickly while potentially avoiding tariffs and reducing logistics costs. It's a classic playbook for international expansion, and with multiple million-selling models already under its belt, BYD has proven it knows how to build vehicles that consumers actually want to buy.

Back to News

BYD's Dolphin EV Joins Elite Million-Unit Club as Chinese Automaker Accelerates European Expansion

MarketDash Editorial Team
3 days ago
BYD's Dolphin becomes the sixth electric vehicle ever to reach one million units sold, marking another milestone for the Chinese automaker as it aggressively expands into European markets and challenges Tesla's dominance.

The competition between BYD (BYDDY) and Tesla Inc. (TSLA) just got more interesting. BYD's Dolphin electric vehicle has crossed the one million unit sales threshold, joining an exclusive club of EVs that have achieved this milestone.

It's a notable achievement in the rapidly evolving global electric vehicle landscape, and it highlights how BYD is building a portfolio of hit models while expanding aggressively beyond its Chinese home market.

The Million-Unit Club Gets More Crowded

Only six electric vehicles have ever sold more than one million units, and BYD now claims three of those spots. The Dolphin joins the company's Atto 3 and Seagull models in the million-unit club. The Seagull reached the milestone earlier this year after just 27 months on the market, according to InsideEVs.

The other members of this exclusive group include Wuling Motors' Mini EV, which has moved over 1.8 million units and hit the milestone in 2023, plus two vehicles from Tesla: the Model 3 and Model Y. Tesla's Model 3 was actually the first EV ever to reach one million units back in 2021.

Launched in China in 2021, the Dolphin goes by several names depending on the market and has been experiencing particularly strong growth in Europe recently.

Export Numbers Tell the Story

BYD's recent sales figures show just how serious the company is about international expansion. In November, the automaker sold 480,186 new energy vehicles, marking its highest monthly total in 2025. Battery-powered electric vehicle sales specifically reached 237,540 units, up 19.9% year-over-year and 6.7% from October.

But here's where it gets really interesting: BYD exported a record 131,935 vehicles in November alone. That figure was up a staggering 325.9% year-over-year and 57.3% from October. From January through November, the company sold 912,911 vehicles overseas, up 153.6% year-over-year.

Europe in the Crosshairs

Those export numbers aren't random. According to Reuters, BYD wants to double its European presence by the end of 2026, a move that puts pressure squarely on Tesla and legacy European automakers.

The company is backing up that ambition with manufacturing capacity. BYD plans to build a second production facility in Europe, possibly in Turkey, to complement its new Hungarian plant. That Hungarian facility alone is expected to have an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles.

Having local production in Europe could be a game-changer for BYD, allowing the company to ramp up sales quickly while potentially avoiding tariffs and reducing logistics costs. It's a classic playbook for international expansion, and with multiple million-selling models already under its belt, BYD has proven it knows how to build vehicles that consumers actually want to buy.