World's largest EV maker BYD slows production
BYD has reportedly reduced production at its Chinese factories after significant price cuts have seen slower growth than planned in the company's home market.
According to Automotive News, BYD – which overtook Tesla to become the world's largest electric vehicle (EV) maker in 2024 – has made the unprecedented move of cancelling night shifts at some of its plants.
The report suggests the automaker has reduced capacity by as much as one third at some of its plants, suspending plans for new product assembly lines as part of the move.
One source told Automotive News BYD has missed targets to grow sales from the 4.27 million it sold globally in 2024 – including 20,458 in Australia – to 5.5 million in 2025.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
By the end of May 2025 BYD had sold 1.76 million cars globally, the rate working out to be 4.23 million for the full calendar year.
BYD would not confirm the slowdown or comment when approached by Automotive News.
Making BYD's performance less obvious has been a dramatic global sales slide for Tesla including falls in Europe, China and Australia, with the Toyota RAV4 knocking off the Tesla Model Y as the world's best-selling vehicle.
In the first three months of 2025, Tesla production fell to 362,615 units compared to 433,371 over the same period the previous year, with revenue falling 66 per cent.
Yet China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) production figures for BYD revealed growth of only 0.2 per cent in May 2025, the lowest growth figures since February 2024, which had fewer production days as the month was disrupted by national holidays.
Data from the China Automotive Dealer Association (CADA) showed BYD held 3.21 months' worth of stock at its China dealers compared to the 1.38 industry average, again confirming slower than expected sales.
The automaker exclusively builds electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles (EVs and PHEVs), having ended production of pure combustion-powered vehicles in 2022.
In a move seen previously in the automotive industry in the United States and Australia, the China Auto Dealers Chamber of Commerce has called for car manufacturers to stop loading up dealers with excess stock.
The news also comes as Chinese automakers have been accused of recording sales of new cars in China to obtain new-car financial subsidies, but then shipping those cars overseas as 'used', inflating Chinese sales figures and sales growth.
According to Reuters, the issue came to light when Great Wall Motor (GWM) chairman Wei Jianjun was critical of the practice – known as selling 'zero mileage cars' – in May.
The practice has also put downward pressure on new vehicle prices, sparking a price war to reduce the margin on each vehicle, ironically making sales of zero-mileage cars more enticing.
The BYD Seagull – a city-sized EV hatch which could also get a start in Australian showrooms – was overtaken in May 2025 by the Geely Geome Xingyuan, offered with both EV and hybrid versions, as China's best-selling vehicle.
After launching here exclusively with EVs, BYD introduced its first PHEVs to the Australian market last year.
BYD will take over the local distribution from EVDirect on July 1, 2025, with ex-Honda Australia director Stephen Collins announced as chief operating officer earlier this month.
The company's Australian sales are up 94.7 per cent to the end of May 2025, led by the Ford Ranger-rivalling Shark 6 pickup with a raft of new models – including the Atto 2 small SUV and the Sealion 8 seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV – confirmed for local showrooms.
MORE: Everything BYD
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
BYD has reportedly reduced production at its Chinese factories after significant price cuts have seen slower growth than planned in the company's home market.
According to Automotive News, BYD – which overtook Tesla to become the world's largest electric vehicle (EV) maker in 2024 – has made the unprecedented move of cancelling night shifts at some of its plants.
The report suggests the automaker has reduced capacity by as much as one third at some of its plants, suspending plans for new product assembly lines as part of the move.
One source told Automotive News BYD has missed targets to grow sales from the 4.27 million it sold globally in 2024 – including 20,458 in Australia – to 5.5 million in 2025.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
By the end of May 2025 BYD had sold 1.76 million cars globally, the rate working out to be 4.23 million for the full calendar year.
BYD would not confirm the slowdown or comment when approached by Automotive News.
Making BYD's performance less obvious has been a dramatic global sales slide for Tesla including falls in Europe, China and Australia, with the Toyota RAV4 knocking off the Tesla Model Y as the world's best-selling vehicle.
In the first three months of 2025, Tesla production fell to 362,615 units compared to 433,371 over the same period the previous year, with revenue falling 66 per cent.
Yet China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) production figures for BYD revealed growth of only 0.2 per cent in May 2025, the lowest growth figures since February 2024, which had fewer production days as the month was disrupted by national holidays.
Data from the China Automotive Dealer Association (CADA) showed BYD held 3.21 months' worth of stock at its China dealers compared to the 1.38 industry average, again confirming slower than expected sales.
The automaker exclusively builds electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles (EVs and PHEVs), having ended production of pure combustion-powered vehicles in 2022.
In a move seen previously in the automotive industry in the United States and Australia, the China Auto Dealers Chamber of Commerce has called for car manufacturers to stop loading up dealers with excess stock.
The news also comes as Chinese automakers have been accused of recording sales of new cars in China to obtain new-car financial subsidies, but then shipping those cars overseas as 'used', inflating Chinese sales figures and sales growth.
According to Reuters, the issue came to light when Great Wall Motor (GWM) chairman Wei Jianjun was critical of the practice – known as selling 'zero mileage cars' – in May.
The practice has also put downward pressure on new vehicle prices, sparking a price war to reduce the margin on each vehicle, ironically making sales of zero-mileage cars more enticing.
The BYD Seagull – a city-sized EV hatch which could also get a start in Australian showrooms – was overtaken in May 2025 by the Geely Geome Xingyuan, offered with both EV and hybrid versions, as China's best-selling vehicle.
After launching here exclusively with EVs, BYD introduced its first PHEVs to the Australian market last year.
BYD will take over the local distribution from EVDirect on July 1, 2025, with ex-Honda Australia director Stephen Collins announced as chief operating officer earlier this month.
The company's Australian sales are up 94.7 per cent to the end of May 2025, led by the Ford Ranger-rivalling Shark 6 pickup with a raft of new models – including the Atto 2 small SUV and the Sealion 8 seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV – confirmed for local showrooms.
MORE: Everything BYD
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
BYD has reportedly reduced production at its Chinese factories after significant price cuts have seen slower growth than planned in the company's home market.
According to Automotive News, BYD – which overtook Tesla to become the world's largest electric vehicle (EV) maker in 2024 – has made the unprecedented move of cancelling night shifts at some of its plants.
The report suggests the automaker has reduced capacity by as much as one third at some of its plants, suspending plans for new product assembly lines as part of the move.
One source told Automotive News BYD has missed targets to grow sales from the 4.27 million it sold globally in 2024 – including 20,458 in Australia – to 5.5 million in 2025.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
By the end of May 2025 BYD had sold 1.76 million cars globally, the rate working out to be 4.23 million for the full calendar year.
BYD would not confirm the slowdown or comment when approached by Automotive News.
Making BYD's performance less obvious has been a dramatic global sales slide for Tesla including falls in Europe, China and Australia, with the Toyota RAV4 knocking off the Tesla Model Y as the world's best-selling vehicle.
In the first three months of 2025, Tesla production fell to 362,615 units compared to 433,371 over the same period the previous year, with revenue falling 66 per cent.
Yet China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) production figures for BYD revealed growth of only 0.2 per cent in May 2025, the lowest growth figures since February 2024, which had fewer production days as the month was disrupted by national holidays.
Data from the China Automotive Dealer Association (CADA) showed BYD held 3.21 months' worth of stock at its China dealers compared to the 1.38 industry average, again confirming slower than expected sales.
The automaker exclusively builds electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles (EVs and PHEVs), having ended production of pure combustion-powered vehicles in 2022.
In a move seen previously in the automotive industry in the United States and Australia, the China Auto Dealers Chamber of Commerce has called for car manufacturers to stop loading up dealers with excess stock.
The news also comes as Chinese automakers have been accused of recording sales of new cars in China to obtain new-car financial subsidies, but then shipping those cars overseas as 'used', inflating Chinese sales figures and sales growth.
According to Reuters, the issue came to light when Great Wall Motor (GWM) chairman Wei Jianjun was critical of the practice – known as selling 'zero mileage cars' – in May.
The practice has also put downward pressure on new vehicle prices, sparking a price war to reduce the margin on each vehicle, ironically making sales of zero-mileage cars more enticing.
The BYD Seagull – a city-sized EV hatch which could also get a start in Australian showrooms – was overtaken in May 2025 by the Geely Geome Xingyuan, offered with both EV and hybrid versions, as China's best-selling vehicle.
After launching here exclusively with EVs, BYD introduced its first PHEVs to the Australian market last year.
BYD will take over the local distribution from EVDirect on July 1, 2025, with ex-Honda Australia director Stephen Collins announced as chief operating officer earlier this month.
The company's Australian sales are up 94.7 per cent to the end of May 2025, led by the Ford Ranger-rivalling Shark 6 pickup with a raft of new models – including the Atto 2 small SUV and the Sealion 8 seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV – confirmed for local showrooms.
MORE: Everything BYD
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
BYD has reportedly reduced production at its Chinese factories after significant price cuts have seen slower growth than planned in the company's home market.
According to Automotive News, BYD – which overtook Tesla to become the world's largest electric vehicle (EV) maker in 2024 – has made the unprecedented move of cancelling night shifts at some of its plants.
The report suggests the automaker has reduced capacity by as much as one third at some of its plants, suspending plans for new product assembly lines as part of the move.
One source told Automotive News BYD has missed targets to grow sales from the 4.27 million it sold globally in 2024 – including 20,458 in Australia – to 5.5 million in 2025.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
By the end of May 2025 BYD had sold 1.76 million cars globally, the rate working out to be 4.23 million for the full calendar year.
BYD would not confirm the slowdown or comment when approached by Automotive News.
Making BYD's performance less obvious has been a dramatic global sales slide for Tesla including falls in Europe, China and Australia, with the Toyota RAV4 knocking off the Tesla Model Y as the world's best-selling vehicle.
In the first three months of 2025, Tesla production fell to 362,615 units compared to 433,371 over the same period the previous year, with revenue falling 66 per cent.
Yet China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) production figures for BYD revealed growth of only 0.2 per cent in May 2025, the lowest growth figures since February 2024, which had fewer production days as the month was disrupted by national holidays.
Data from the China Automotive Dealer Association (CADA) showed BYD held 3.21 months' worth of stock at its China dealers compared to the 1.38 industry average, again confirming slower than expected sales.
The automaker exclusively builds electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles (EVs and PHEVs), having ended production of pure combustion-powered vehicles in 2022.
In a move seen previously in the automotive industry in the United States and Australia, the China Auto Dealers Chamber of Commerce has called for car manufacturers to stop loading up dealers with excess stock.
The news also comes as Chinese automakers have been accused of recording sales of new cars in China to obtain new-car financial subsidies, but then shipping those cars overseas as 'used', inflating Chinese sales figures and sales growth.
According to Reuters, the issue came to light when Great Wall Motor (GWM) chairman Wei Jianjun was critical of the practice – known as selling 'zero mileage cars' – in May.
The practice has also put downward pressure on new vehicle prices, sparking a price war to reduce the margin on each vehicle, ironically making sales of zero-mileage cars more enticing.
The BYD Seagull – a city-sized EV hatch which could also get a start in Australian showrooms – was overtaken in May 2025 by the Geely Geome Xingyuan, offered with both EV and hybrid versions, as China's best-selling vehicle.
After launching here exclusively with EVs, BYD introduced its first PHEVs to the Australian market last year.
BYD will take over the local distribution from EVDirect on July 1, 2025, with ex-Honda Australia director Stephen Collins announced as chief operating officer earlier this month.
The company's Australian sales are up 94.7 per cent to the end of May 2025, led by the Ford Ranger-rivalling Shark 6 pickup with a raft of new models – including the Atto 2 small SUV and the Sealion 8 seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV – confirmed for local showrooms.
MORE: Everything BYD
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Courier-Mail
an hour ago
- Courier-Mail
‘Utopia': huge Aus change no one saw coming
Don't miss out on the headlines from On the Road. Followed categories will be added to My News. 'Dad, do you love the Tesla?' That was the emotional question from my 10-year-old old son after we had spent a heartwarming hour-long bonding session together on the fourth day of the Year of Our Lord 2535. That is, the fourth day we had had our new Tesla Model Y Juniper. It has been a whirlwind courtship so far (in what seemed far, far into the future) and the big questions were already being asked. It was only a year since we (I) had parted ways with the love of our lives – our V8 Commodore stationwagon. That was a relationship meant to last forever, or at least until the kids sent me off into a 'retirement' home, but it wasn't to be. MORE: Tesla reveals major Robotaxi move 2025 Tesla Model Y – do you love me? And while that was a horrible farewell and the heartbreak was still raw, I had to be honest with myself and my son. 'I do mate, I love the Tesi,' I said. 'Me too dad, he replied,' tear-laden eyeballs deep into his third game of Stardew Valley (whatever that is) for the morning from the back seat. At last we were a happy family. The circle of joy was complete. The Tesla had made it so. At least until the next trip when the boys would prep for WWIII again over who got to the Tesla first, who was getting into the Tesla first, who was sitting where and who would get to play Stardew Valley first. In reality, it was the infinity cycle of happiness and being on the verge of WWIII. So it goes, with Tesla. FROM V8 TO EV It seems like eons ago now but back in 2013, I'd gotten married, the Roosters won the NRL premiership and I'd finally bought my dream car, a black Commodore SS Wagon with a glorious 6.2L V8 under the bonnet that sounded like the Gates of Heaven were opening just me for everytime I went close to the redline. MORE: Aussies 'not ready' for advanced driver tech The Commodore V8. Gone but not forgotten. It was a three-way dead heat as to what was the greatest event that year for me. They were all meant to last forever, or until death do us part. 12 years later: + Marriage – tick (I think) + The Roosters have added two more titles in that time – tick + The Commodore – RIP. Give me a moment, it's tough writing about this. Meat Loaf would say 'Two outta three ain't baaaad'. I wouldn't have agreed, until the Tesla came into my life and changed it forever. It's even parlayed one and two above, the Tesla serves my wife up with a daily slice of contentment, the Commodore never could. 'Fancy', 'toasty' and 'ooh very nice' were three joyful utterances she never made (or perhaps they just weren't heard – probably not) as my beloved V8 roared through the suburbs rattling windows, exciting schoolboys and scaring grannies (sorry mum). MORE: The end of travel as we know it Remember Buck Rogers from the 25th Century? He drives a Tesla there now. LIVING IN THE 25TH CENTURY But that was then and this is now. And I probably wouldn't have believed you if you said it would end up like this. Nothing gets you over the last one like the next one, they say, and thanks to the new and improved Model Y, I'm Buck Rogers living in the 25th Century. It's not 2025 when I drive now, it's at least 2525. I'm still married. The Roosters have won 1000 more premierships, the Liberal Party is still in Opposition, we are still in the loop of WWIII-emphatic joy but it's still a great place to be. The V8 Commodore hasn't yet been forgotten by me But it never resembled a near-light speed travelling couch complete with YouTube and the PS5, or had cameras they could twerk at, so it's D.E.A.D. to my boys. Me? I still think about her curves and her purrs her when I hear a Mustang fang past. Although life inside the Tesla is so tranquil I hardly hear any other cars anymore. And the AC/DC soundtrack of the V8 has been replaced with some 80s synth pop that makes you feel like you're in an Elon Musk-certified future. 'Is this Utopia?' I figured that might be my son's next question, when he learns that this is what it feels like. Is this driving Utopia? Picture: Mark Bean It's not. I still have to get out of the Tesla and go to work, or do the shopping or walk in the house. But it's close. Do you know, it even parks itself? The Model Y doesn't have the rough and ready feel of the V8, nor the does demand corners move aside like the lowered 'Dore did. The Commodore was a real driving experience. It wanted to go fast, it wanted to roar, it wanted to drive. The Tesi just wants to make you happy. It's nauseatingly fast. So much so my wife has asked me not to plant the foot when she's in the car. The boys asked me to do it at every traffic light. The Model Y's weight is sometimes noticeable when turning corners and especially when going downhill However the considerate and attentive sensors are a lifetime away from the incessant anxiety-inducing beeps of Holden's Dark Age parking tech. The V8's thirst for 98 unleaded never upset me, it was like feeding a wagyu tomahawk to a Golden Retriever – you always got back what you put in. Still might go back to the old love one day. Ford Mustang V8 Dark Horse. The EV charging issue is already slightly irking me. I don't have charging in my unit, so it's going to be an eternal search. But it's a small price to pay for the love we have all found. I gotta go now, I haven't been on the Tesla app for a few mins and I have to see how she's going. I'm not completely sold on the whole EV thing though. I do miss that guttural roar. When the kids are old enough to have the Tesi passed down to them, I'm gonna get that V8 Mustang. Or I'll upgrade to the Cybertruck. Originally published as 'Utopia': huge Aus change no one saw coming
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
‘Utopia': huge Aus change no one saw coming
'Dad, do you love the Tesla?' That was the emotional question from my 10-year-old old son after we had spent a heartwarming hour-long bonding session together on the fourth day of the Year of Our Lord 2535. That is, the fourth day we had had our new Tesla Model Y Juniper. It has been a whirlwind courtship so far (in what seemed far, far into the future) and the big questions were already being asked. It was only a year since we (I) had parted ways with the love of our lives – our V8 Commodore stationwagon. That was a relationship meant to last forever, or at least until the kids sent me off into a 'retirement' home, but it wasn't to be. And while that was a horrible farewell and the heartbreak was still raw, I had to be honest with myself and my son. 'I do mate, I love the Tesi,' I said. 'Me too dad, he replied,' tear-laden eyeballs deep into his third game of Stardew Valley (whatever that is) for the morning from the back seat. At last we were a happy family. The circle of joy was complete. The Tesla had made it so. At least until the next trip when the boys would prep for WWIII again over who got to the Tesla first, who was getting into the Tesla first, who was sitting where and who would get to play Stardew Valley first. In reality, it was the infinity cycle of happiness and being on the verge of WWIII. So it goes, with Tesla. FROM V8 TO EV It seems like eons ago now but back in 2013, I'd gotten married, the Roosters won the NRL premiership and I'd finally bought my dream car, a black Commodore SS Wagon with a glorious 6.2L V8 under the bonnet that sounded like the Gates of Heaven were opening just me for everytime I went close to the redline. It was a three-way dead heat as to what was the greatest event that year for me. They were all meant to last forever, or until death do us part. 12 years later: + Marriage – tick (I think) + The Roosters have added two more titles in that time – tick + The Commodore – RIP. Give me a moment, it's tough writing about this. Meat Loaf would say 'Two outta three ain't baaaad'. I wouldn't have agreed, until the Tesla came into my life and changed it forever. It's even parlayed one and two above, the Tesla serves my wife up with a daily slice of contentment, the Commodore never could. 'Fancy', 'toasty' and 'ooh very nice' were three joyful utterances she never made (or perhaps they just weren't heard – probably not) as my beloved V8 roared through the suburbs rattling windows, exciting schoolboys and scaring grannies (sorry mum). LIVING IN THE 25TH CENTURY But that was then and this is now. And I probably wouldn't have believed you if you said it would end up like this. Nothing gets you over the last one like the next one, they say, and thanks to the new and improved Model Y, I'm Buck Rogers living in the 25th Century. It's not 2025 when I drive now, it's at least 2525. I'm still married. The Roosters have won 1000 more premierships, the Liberal Party is still in Opposition, we are still in the loop of WWIII-emphatic joy but it's still a great place to be. The V8 Commodore hasn't yet been forgotten by me But it never resembled a near-light speed travelling couch complete with YouTube and the PS5, or had cameras they could twerk at, so it's D.E.A.D. to my boys. Me? I still think about her curves and her purrs her when I hear a Mustang fang past. Although life inside the Tesla is so tranquil I hardly hear any other cars anymore. And the AC/DC soundtrack of the V8 has been replaced with some 80s synth pop that makes you feel like you're in an Elon Musk-certified future. 'Is this Utopia?' I figured that might be my son's next question, when he learns that this is what it feels like. It's not. I still have to get out of the Tesla and go to work, or do the shopping or walk in the house. But it's close. Do you know, it even parks itself? The Model Y doesn't have the rough and ready feel of the V8, nor the does demand corners move aside like the lowered 'Dore did. The Commodore was a real driving experience. It wanted to go fast, it wanted to roar, it wanted to drive. The Tesi just wants to make you happy. It's nauseatingly fast. So much so my wife has asked me not to plant the foot when she's in the car. The boys asked me to do it at every traffic light. The Model Y's weight is sometimes noticeable when turning corners and especially when going downhill However the considerate and attentive sensors are a lifetime away from the incessant anxiety-inducing beeps of Holden's Dark Age parking tech. The V8's thirst for 98 unleaded never upset me, it was like feeding a wagyu tomahawk to a Golden Retriever – you always got back what you put in. The EV charging issue is already slightly irking me. I don't have charging in my unit, so it's going to be an eternal search. But it's a small price to pay for the love we have all found. I gotta go now, I haven't been on the Tesla app for a few mins and I have to see how she's going. I'm not completely sold on the whole EV thing though. I do miss that guttural roar. When the kids are old enough to have the Tesi passed down to them, I'm gonna get that V8 Mustang. Or I'll upgrade to the Cybertruck.
West Australian
2 hours ago
- West Australian
Australia news and politics live: Former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas charged after protest
Scroll down for the latest news and updates. Responding to a warning from the Chinese Ambassador over the risks of Australia complying with US demands to increase defense spending, the PM said it is in Australia's national interest to 'invest in our capability and invest in our relationships'. ''The Chinese ambassador speaks for China,' Mr Albanese said. 'My job is to speak for Australia and it's in Australia's national interest for us to invest in our capability and to invest in our relationships and we're doing just that.' China has warned Australia against folding to demands to increase defence spending, with its top diplomat flagging it as a 'heavy fiscal burden'. While not mentioning the US directly, Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian has attacked the push led by President Donald Trump, who has exerted pressure on allies to ramp up spending. Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian said other countries had 'hyped up the so-called China threat narrative' at recent international gatherings, including at the Shangri-La Dialogue, G7 summit and NATO summit. Describing this as 'slander', Mr Qian said such rhetoric fuelled the global arms race and was a threat to global peace and stability. He said China's military build-up was 'normal' and only represented 'just 1.5 per cent' of GDP — 'far below the global average and paling in comparison to certain hegemons or their allies and partners'. Read the story Foreign Minister Penny Wong is set to meet with her US counterpart for crucial talks as America ramps up pressure on Australia to increase defence spending. She will fly out to Washington today ahead of a meeting of Quad foreign ministers, which includes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with ministers from India and Japan. The trip to the US will also see Senator Wong hold one-on-one talks with Mr Rubio, as Australia tries to carve out an exemption to tariffs imposed on exports to America. 'This will be the second Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting within six months, reflecting the importance of our partnership and the strategic circumstances confronting our region and the world,' Senator Wong said. 'The United States is our closest ally and principal strategic partner. Our alliance contributes to the peace, prosperity and stability of our countries and the region we share. 'We will continue to work together to further our important economic and security partnership and advance our mutual interests.' Read the story Former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas has been charged after being injured during a pro-Palestine protest. Ms Thomas, who was a candidate for Grayndler in the recent Federal election, suffered facial injuries after clashing with police during the protest outside a business in Belmore on Friday. Protesters targeted the business over concerns it was providing components for jets used by the Israeli Defence Force, a Greens statement confirmed. NSW Police said officers issued a move on direction to a group of about 60 protesters, who allegedly attempted to block pedestrian access to the business. Ms Thomas was among a number of people arrested after allegeldy failing to comply with that direction. 'During the 35-year-old woman's arrest, she sustained facial injuries and was taken to Bankstown Hospital for treatment, where she remains,' a police statement read.
