BYD sold its first hybrid in 2008, long before Tesla went into production.

Deliveries of its first all-electric car, the e6 — a boxy, midsize all-electric hatchback used by taxi companies in China and Europe — began in 2011, a year ahead of the first sales of Tesla’s Model S. Last year, BYD sold 61,722 EVs to become the world’s largest producer. BYD expects that number to almost triple again this year, with sales surpassing 150,000.