BYD vs Tesla:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, BYD had more branded searches than Tesla among electric-first car brands in New Zealand. BYD was estimated to have 53.2K branded searches compared to Tesla’s 43.9K, and held a 36.6% Share of Search versus Tesla’s 30.2%.
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Which is more popular in search, BYD or Tesla?
Compare electric-first automotive marques available to New Zealand drivers, using branded searches made in New Zealand. Hybrid models from these brands are also included in their brand demand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for BYD, Tesla. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | BYD | Tesla | Zeekr | Denza | Leapmotor | XPENG | Polestar | Ora |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 31% | 41.2% | 9.7% | 1.4% | 5.9% | 2.4% | 8% | 0.45% |
| Nov 2025 | 36.7% | 36.9% | 7.6% | 2.7% | 5.1% | 3.2% | 7.5% | 0.41% |
| Dec 2025 | 33.1% | 35.8% | 7.7% | 8% | 5.1% | 2.2% | 7.6% | 0.48% |
| Jan 2026 | 40.2% | 33.4% | 6.3% | 5.7% | 4.6% | 2.9% | 6.4% | 0.46% |
| Feb 2026 | 35.9% | 34.2% | 8.7% | 6% | 4.6% | 3.9% | 6.3% | 0.46% |
| Mar 2026 | 44.6% | 31.1% | 7.9% | 2.3% | 3.8% | 3.5% | 6.5% | 0.3% |
| Apr 2026 | 43.4% | 29.6% | 10.1% | 2.9% | 4.5% | 4% | 5.2% | 0.27% |
| May 2026 | 39.8% | 29.2% | 11.4% | 4.3% | 4.8% | 4.1% | 6.1% | 0.28% |
| Jun 2026 | 41.6% | 30.7% | 8.9% | 3.7% | 6% | 3.6% | 5.2% | 0.32% |
| Jul 2026 | 36.6% | 30.7% | 9.5% | 5.1% | 5.5% | 7.2% | 5.2% | 0.36% |
| Aug 2026 | 36.6% | 30.2% | 13% | 5.6% | 5.5% | 4.7% | 4.2% | 0.38% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the BYD and Tesla comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands once in the 11 months ending August 2026: BYD took it in January 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, BYD’s estimated Share of Search among electric-first car brands in New Zealand moved from 31% to 36.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 31.6K to 53.2K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Tesla’s estimated Share of Search among electric-first car brands in New Zealand moved from 41.2% to 30.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 42K to 43.9K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand electric-first car brands in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, Tesla lost estimated Share of Search among electric-first car brands in New Zealand, from 30.7% to 30.2%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for BYD in New Zealand rose 68.3% over 11 measured months, from 31.6K to 53.2K in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using BYD’s and Tesla’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
BYD
15 branded search terms
- atto 3
- atto3
- byd
- byd atto 1
- byd atto 2
- byd atto 3
- byd car
- byd cars
- byd dolphin
- byd new zealand
- byd nz
- byd seal
- byd seal lion 6
- byd sealion 7
- byd shark 6
Tesla
11 branded search terms
- cybertruck
- tesla
- tesla car
- tesla cars
- tesla cybertruck
- tesla model 3
- tesla model s
- tesla model x
- tesla model y
- tesla new zealand
- tesla nz
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.