Each week, Alternatives Economiques selects four graphics that shed a different light on current events.
In this new graphorama: Tesla is no longer the largest seller of electric cars in the world; the energy bill of the French industry has increased by 50% between 2019 and 2024; the surtax on second homes has been applied by more than 1,400 municipalities in 2024, compared to 308 in 2023; for the past three years, VAT revenues have been several billion euros lower than Bercy’s forecasts.
1. BYD beats Tesla as the world’s electric car leader
As Tesla’s sales decline, Chinese champion BYD’s sales continue to rise. Like China dominating the electric car industry, the giant from Shenzhen, which is the top car seller in its home country with 15% market share, has also become the global leader in electric vehicles. With over 2 million electric car registrations worldwide, BYD surpassed Tesla in 2025. The performance of the Chinese manufacturer is partly due to the strong sales increase in Europe (184,000 registrations).
This shift in hierarchy is also due to Tesla’s decline. For the second consecutive year, its sales have fallen (8.6% in 2025). The American manufacturer’s downfall may continue as it halts production of two main models and postpones the launch of its future SUV to 2030.
2. French industry consumes less energy, but the bill remains high
After more than doubling between 2020 and 2023, the energy bill of the French industry (excluding raw materials) decreased by 24% in 2024. However, the value of purchases of electricity, oil, gas, and other fuels by French industrialists in 2024 remains 1.5 times higher than in 2019, despite a 16% decrease in consumption during the same period.
This decrease in energy consumption is more significant for oil products (30% between 2019 and 2024) than for electricity (9%) and gas (15%). However, the price of these energies has surged, with a 103% increase for gas, 64% for electricity, and 38% for oil between 2019 and 2024. The price drops in 2024 did not offset these increases.
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