Chinese automaker BYD has surpassed U.S.-based Tesla in sales in Europe for the first time. Data from market research firm Jato Dynamics, released on Thursday, shows that BYD sold 7,231 battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs) in April, edging out Tesla, which sold 7,165 units during the same month.

BYD witnessed a staggering 169 percent surge in sales last month. This growth comes as Tesla stumbles, with its sales in the European market plummeting by 49 percent. The decline in Tesla's sales is attributed to an aging model lineup and the impact of CEO Elon Musk's political involvements, which have dented demand for the U.S. EV maker's cars.

The European EV market, as a whole, saw a 28 percent growth in April. Despite this overall upward trend, Tesla has struggled to keep pace. Analysts are viewing this as a "watershed moment" for the European EV market, highlighting the changing dynamics and growing competition in the region.

In addition to BYD, other automakers also outperformed Tesla in pure electric car sales in April. Renault, Škoda, Volkswagen, Audi, and BMW all sold more pure electric vehicles than Tesla during the month.

(Cover via VCG)