Tesla rival stuns reviewers in head-to-head performance test: 'It's actually very, very close'

For the last several years, Tesla has dominated the electric vehicle market. But a Chinese competitor is in prime position to give the once massively popular company a run for its money.

With Tesla CEO Elon Musk's polarizing political involvement, Tesla's reputation has taken a significant hit in 2025. The company has seen a jaw-dropping 20% decline in auto revenue in this year's first-quarter report, and part of the reason is likely that it has struggled to keep consumers loyal all across the globe.

With a sizable window of opportunity, Chinese EV company BYD has surpassed Tesla in global vehicle sales. According to an Autovista24 report, BYD delivered 3.84 million battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in 2024. That's over 2 million more than Tesla's 1.78 million units sold in the same time span. However, experts have asked how the quality of BYD vehicles stacks up against Tesla's finest.

Carwow, an online vehicle marketplace, put the BYD Sealion to the test against the Tesla Model Y, and the results might surprise you. In a side-by-side comparison video, Carwow ran the pair of mid-sized electric SUVs through the same tests.

Under the hood, the BYD Sealion 7 offered a dual motor with 530 horsepower and a 91 kilowatt-hour battery pack. The Tesla Model Y also came equipped with a dual motor, but it offered just 507 horsepower and a significantly smaller 75 kWh battery.

When it came to battery power and charge range, the Sealion offers 283-312 miles, according to the Carwow website. This is in comparison to the Model Y, which came with a real-world range of 278 miles, per the video, though the carmaker touts a higher number.

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In the end, Mat Watson of Carwow gave the nod to Tesla, which came in almost $3,000 cheaper than the Sealion (comparing base prices converted from the pound sterling figures from Carwow).

While Watson was impressed with the Sealion, it was hard to ignore the overall strength of Tesla's performance. "It's actually very, very close. Tesla Model Y is much improved, the look is way better than before, the interior feels higher quality, it's got good efficiency, and it's pretty decent to drive, and that's why it wins this test," Watson said in the video.

Compared to gas-powered cars, EVs offer plenty of benefits that any future car buyer might want to consider. EVs boast zero tailpipe emissions, lower operating costs, and the potential for various government incentives, depending on where you live and other factors. They often have lower maintenance needs than gas-powered cars as well.

If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you?

Cost 💰