Elon Musk has been told to make one change to Tesla as the American EV giant comes under threat from China. Tesla has enjoyed almost ‘market-leader’ status in the electric car space for years, but looks set to be under threat from Asia as more affordable models from China hit the market. Tom Jervis, Consumer Editor of Auto Express, warns Tesla may “never restore the monopoly” it once enjoyed as a result of new competitors entering the market.
Chinese models tend to be a lot cheaper than Western brands, with price tags often tens of thousands of pounds lower. Brands such as BYD, Leapmotor and Jaecoo are fully fledged Chinese brands which have already entered the UK market with more likely to follow.
In order to compete, Tom has claimed Tesla may need to change tack and shift focus from being a premium marque to building more affordable models.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Tom said: “Tesla was once synonymous with premium-yet-affordable EVs, however, in recent years even cheaper models from other manufacturers have come along, threatening the brand’s market dominance.
“Tesla will likely never restore the monopoly it once had on the EV market, but turning its attention towards cheaper models could be great news for both the company and consumers alike. EV technology is constantly becoming more accessible and is often now priced in-line with ICE alternatives.”
Earlier this year, data revealed that BYD had started to outsell Tesla in Europe for the first time. Statistics from 28 European nations compiled by JATO Dynamics found BYD had sold 7,231 models in April 2025, higher than Tesla which stood at 7,165 vehicles.
In another threat to Tesla, some of the latest Chinese models look to be almost carbon copies at much lower rates. The new Deepal S07 looks almost identical to the Tesla Model Y and will launch in the UK this September.
The car starts from £39,950, cheaper than the XPeng G6 and less money than the Tesla Model Y. The Deepal will launch between £5,000 and £10,000 cheaper than the Model Y, which can still be listed for up to £45,000.
Tom added: “With people’s wallets already stretched far enough as it is, more competition at the lower end of the market will continue to drive prices downwards, ultimately incentivising more drivers to switch to a cleaner, greener vehicle.”