BYD is beginning to show its might as a genuine contender among the world’s established ‘legacy’ carmakers, surpassing Ford to become the sixth best-selling carmaker.
Nikkei Asia reports BYD sold 1.13 million vehicles between July and September 2024 (the third quarter of 2024), a record for the carmaker and the first time its global sales exceeded one million in a three-month period.
This eclipsed Ford’s reported total by approximately 40,000 vehicles, a relatively small number which could prove significant by the end of the year.
Between January to September, Ford delivered 3.3 million vehicles worldwide, with BYD trailing it on 3.25 million deliveries.
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BYD Sealion 6
If BYD keeps up its current pace, it could overtake Ford by the end of the year, or at least mount a serious threat to the Blue Oval heading into 2025 and beyond.
Regardless of whether it does or doesn’t surpass Ford’s annual total, BYD has already eclipsed its annual sales record, set last year with 3.024 million vehicles sold globally.
This represented a 61.9 per cent increase on its 2022 result. To the end of the third quarter in 2024, BYD’s global sales are up 38 per cent compared to the same period in 2023.
While BYD relies heavily on its home market of China to drive sales volume, Ford’s global operations – including those in China – more evenly contribute to its total.
BYD Shark 6
Despite BYD slowly getting the upper hand overseas, it’s a different story in Australia, where Ford remains the second best-selling carmaker locally.
Its 91,865 deliveries made to the end of November were up 17.8 per cent on its first 11 months of 2024.
It recently passed Mazda (88,731), but is well behind market leader Toyota (222,639).
BYD meanwhile has delivered 18,465 vehicles between January and November, a significant 68.2 per cent rise on last year.
Its 16th-place position has been bolstered by the arrival of the electric Seal sedan and Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid SUV, which sit on either side of the Atto 3 for sales in Australia. Its Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute is due to arrive in Australia imminently.
