Ford lost out to BYD in global vehicle sales for the first time last year as the Chinese manufacturer continued its climb up the rankings of the world’s largest automakers.
Ford’s sales dropped almost 2% last year to just shy of 4.4 million, short of the 4.6 million vehicle sales BYD reported in January
The figure the US automaker disclosed Tuesday confirms BYD has moved up to No. 6 in the global sales ranks, one spot ahead of Ford.
While Ford’s US sales rose last year, it has lost ground in Europe and particularly China, where domestic manufacturers like BYD, Xiaomi and Geely have grabbed market share from foreign automakers with affordable, tech-laden EVs.
Ford has weathered a difficult EV transition, announcing $19.5 billion (around R310 billion) in charges to overhaul its strategy.
BYD has also made inroads into markets in Europe, South America and Asia, with exports reaching 1.05 million in 2025. It aims to increase that to 1.3 million this year.
Still, it faces a more challenging 2026 at home, as government subsidies are wound back and regulators are warning manufacturers face severe penalties if they keep up their aggressive discounting.
Overall, Toyota held on to the No. 1 position for the sixth year in a row, with global sales rising 4.6% to 11.3 million.
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