China’s BYD (Build Your Dreams) has overtaken Tesla in global electric vehicle (EV) sales but its presence in India is still limited. Now with Tesla entering the Indian market the country has become the latest battle ground for the rivalry between Elon Musk and BYD’s founder Wang Chuanfu. According to some media reports China’s BYD can outpace Musk on every front. Elon Musk’s Tesla VS BYD In recent months BYD has surpassed Tesla in global EV sales delivering 380000 cars worldwide while selling just 500 units in India last month barely 0.1% of its global sales. Despite its relatively low profile in India BYD’s technology is considered highly advanced internationally. In China its new models can charge in just 5 minutes and offer a range of over 500 kilometers which is nearly 50 times faster than popular EVs like the MG ZS EV according to investor Rahul Mathur. Journey Of BYD  Wang Chuanfu the founder and chairman of BYD is known for his tireless work ethic and for working 70 hours a week. He commutes by car himself and lives alongside workers in BYD’s factories. Originally a battery manufacturer Wang founded BYD in 1995 entered the automobile market in 2003 and launched his first EV in 2009.  His vision is to make EV charging as quick and easy as refueling a petrol car. The late billionaire Charlie Munger Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway once described Wang as a combination of Thomas Edison and Jack Welch. Berkshire invested $230 million in BYD in 2008 which has now grown over 15 times in value. BYD In India In 2022 BYD launched its Atto 3 SUV in India which is assembled in Chennai. However as of May 2025 BYD accounted for less than 4% of India’s EV market share. Tesla meanwhile is preparing a major entry into India hoping to compensate for its declining global sales by tapping into the fast-growing Indian EV market. But Wang Chuanfu can also block Musk at every turn. The Chinese businessman is preparing to deliver such a blow to Musk’s Tesla that it would be hard for it to recover.