BYD’s five best-selling cars, including one edging out Tesla’s Model Y in China

BEIJING — BYD has overtaken Tesla again by the sheer number of new energy vehicles produced in 2023, thanks in part to the Chinese automaker’s hybrids and wide range of offerings in a lower price range.

While Tesla’s Model Y was the best-selling purely battery-powered car in China for the six months ending in November, BYD vehicles accounted for four of the top 10 such cars sold during that time. When including hybrids, seven BYD cars made the top 10 list.

That’s according to China Passenger Car Association data cited by consumer information site Autohome.

Here are the five best-selling BYD new energy vehicles in China, according to the data:

The Qin Plus, BYD’s bestseller — the top-ranked across all new energy vehicles in China — sold nearly 400 more units than Tesla’s Model Y in the six months ending in November.

The compact car comes in hybrid and battery-only versions. It’s part of BYD’s legacy series of cars named after Chinese dynasties. Qin Shihuang was the first leader of a unified China and known for his terracotta warrior burial site.

Price: 99,800 yuan to 176,800 yuan ($13,942 to $24,700)

Range: 420 km to 610 km (261 miles to 379 miles)

For comparison, the Model Y has a driving range of 532 km to 688 km and currently sells for between 266,400 yuan to 363,900 yuan ($37,217 to $50,838) in China.

The Seagull is a budget-priced boxy hatchback that BYD launched less than a year ago in spring 2023. The battery-only car comes in neon yellow-green, peach, black and white.

Price: 73,800 yuan to 89,800 yuan ($10,310 to $12,545)

Range: 305 km to 405 km (189 miles to 251 miles)

In third place among BYD bestsellers is the Song Plus, a compact SUV that comes in hybrid and battery-only versions.

Price: 159,800 yuan to 209,800 yuan ($22,325 to $29,310)

Range: 520 km to 605 km (323 miles to 375 miles)

BYD’s Yuan Plus is a compact, battery-only SUV. During the six-month period ended in November, it sold nearly 17,000 more units than the Aion Y, a best-selling electric car from state-owned GAC Motor’s spinoff brand.

Price: 135,800 yuan to 163,800 yuan ($18,972 to $22,883)

Range: 430 km to 510 km (267 miles to 316 miles)

BYD’s small Dolphin electric car is another one of the company’s mass market vehicles that comes with the internally developed blade battery.

Price: 116,800 yuan to 139,800 yuan ($16,317 to $19,530)

Range: 401 km to 420 km (249 miles to 260 miles)

The blade battery helped spur BYD’s first flagship electric car, the Han sedan, to popularity.

The Han is more expensive than most of BYD’s other cars with a starting price of 209,800 yuan ($29,310) for the battery-only version.

While most of the company’s vehicles cost less, BYD last year also ventured into the high-end of the market with its Yangwang U8, with a starting price of more than 1 million yuan ($140,090).

Chinese electric car startups Nio and Xpeng have both said they are planning to launch mass market brands later this year. Tesla has not yet made such announcements.