With nearly 8 million vehicles produced since it released its first model back in 2008, it’s easy to understand why many folks immediately think of Tesla when the term EV is used. Tesla was a frontrunner, a trailblazer, a disruptor, as the kids call it. But these days it seems that the EV giant has fallen behind some other big names in the electric-powered vehicle world. Let’s take a look at the biggest EV brands in the US and worldwide.
Use eTags© to Quickly Complete Your DMV Service. Renewals, Title Transfers and More, All Online!
The Top 5 EV Manufacturers in the World
1. BYD. This comes as little surprise to anyone who’s been following the unfolding of EVs on our planet. Chinese company, BYD (a whimsical acronym for Build Your Dreams) began back in 1995 as a battery company rather than a vehicle maker. But fast-forward to 2008, and there was the world’s first large-scale production of a plug-in hybrid coming from the enterprising outfit. And now, BYD counts their numbers of vehicles produced upwards of over 15 million – 4.6 million of those in 2025 alone.
2. Tesla. Coming in second, Tesla’s position still remains steady in the EV sector. That said, the company known for wild innovation suffered a significant decline in sales recently: from 1.7 million units sold in 2024 to 1.64 sold in 2025. What could have caused this drop? A few factors:
- The rescinding of the U.S. federal tax incentive of $7,500 on new EV purchases
- BYD’s global rise in popularity
- Changes in design that affected availability
- Tesla’s focus redirected to other AI-heavy products like robotaxis and home robots.
3. Geely. Never heard of this one? Put simply, this is a collection of automotive brands purchased by Chinese group, Geely Holding Here’s a few top names owned by Geely and what their numbers where for 2025:
- Volvo: 323,294
- Polestar: 60,119
- Lotus: Around 4,000
- Smart Car: Aiming to move 120,000 units in 2025, numbers seem to have come in a bit lowe
4. Volkswagen. German automaker Volkswagen enjoyed a pretty significant growth spurt recently. Their numbers of 983,100 units sold in 2025 is around a 32% increase from 2024. Which is notable, to say the least. This contributes to a roughly 4 million EV tally since VW released its first model back in 2013.
5. SAIC Motor. Another offering from China, this brand is famous for its strategic partnerships, which influences its success, of course. Noteworthy collaborators include the likes of:
-
- Volkswagen
- Audi
- GM
Sale numbers for this EV manufacturer were around 1.64 million in 2025. Overall units for this company is up in the 4.5 million ballpark, making it a true contender with the more common household EV names.
Conclusion
It’s no secret that some of these heavy hitters are not currently available for purchase in the United States. But some of their subsidiaries are. So if you happen to be in the market for a super popular EV other than Tesla, you do have quite of few to choose from, including Volvo. Polestar, Lotus, and Volkswagen.
And if you’re in the market for speed, efficiency, and ease, you’ve come to the right place. For all your title and tag needs: transfers, renewals, replacements, duplicates, specialty plates, and more, head on over to eTags.com and let us get it done for you. Skip the appointments, avoid the lines…because it’s easy with eTags!
