Tesla vs BYD: performance comparison
Over the 12 months to Oct 5, 2026, Tesla returned -19.1% and BYD -31.5%. This page puts the two side by side on the same dates — current prices, performance charts rebased to 100, returns from one month to five years, volatility, the deepest falls and how closely the two move together — recalculated daily from closing prices.
Performance, rebased to 100
Both lines start at 100 on the first shared date: a value of 150 means +50% since then.
- Tesla-19.1%
- BYD-31.5%
- Tesla+44.6%
- BYD-9.0%
Returns
| Period | Tesla | BYD | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +3.5% | -14.0% | Tesla |
| 3 months | -12.7% | -11.6% | BYD |
| 6 months | +1.7% | -28.7% | Tesla |
| Year to date | -18.5% | -22.1% | Tesla |
| 1 year | -19.1% | -31.5% | Tesla |
| 3 years | +45.4% | -4.2% | Tesla |
| 5 years | +44.6% | -9.0% | Tesla |
Price returns between closing prices on the same dates for both assets; dividends and interest are not included. Tesla is priced in US dollars and BYD's Hong Kong shares in Hong Kong dollars, which are pegged to the US dollar (7.75–7.85), so the returns are comparable. Data to Oct 5, 2026.
Risk
| Measure | Tesla | BYD |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility, 1 year (annualized) | 45.9% | 36.6% |
| Volatility, 5 years (annualized, weekly) | 57.0% | 40.8% |
| Deepest fall, 5 years | -72.2%Nov 2021 – Jan 2023 | -53.1%May 2025 – Jun 2026 |
| Correlation, 1 year (daily returns) | -0.05 | |
| Correlation, 5 years (weekly returns) | 0.20 | |
Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of returns — higher means bigger swings. The deepest fall is the largest drop from a previous high. Correlation runs from −1 (opposite moves) through 0 (unrelated) to +1 (in lockstep).
What the numbers say
Over five years (Oct 2021 to Oct 2026), Tesla returned +44.6% and BYD -9.0%. Tesla came out ahead over both one and five years.
Annualized volatility over the past year: Tesla 45.9%, BYD 36.6% — Tesla was about 1.3× as volatile. Deepest fall over the period: Tesla -72.2% (Nov 2021 – Jan 2023), BYD -53.1% (May 2025 – Jun 2026).
The correlation of their daily returns over the past year was -0.05. That is almost no relationship: they have moved largely independently. Over five years of weekly returns it was 0.20.
Past performance does not predict future returns.
Key differences
- Product range: Tesla sells only battery-electric vehicles (plus energy storage); BYD sells both battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars across many price points.
- Vertical integration: BYD makes its own batteries and many of its chips; Tesla designs its own software, motors and battery packs, makes some of its cells and buys the rest from suppliers.
- Currency: BYD's Hong Kong shares trade in Hong Kong dollars, which are pegged to the US dollar within a 7.75–7.85 band, so the returns here are directly comparable with Tesla's in dollars.
- Valuation: Tesla's share price also reflects expectations for self-driving and robotics, which can make it move independently of its car sales.
The two assets
Tesla
Tesla makes battery-electric vehicles and energy-storage systems, and its valuation also reflects expectations for self-driving software and robotics. Vehicle deliveries, margins and sentiment around its CEO Elon Musk move the stock sharply.
Tesla chart and analysis →BYD
BYD is a Chinese maker of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars that also produces its own batteries. Its Hong Kong-listed shares (1211.HK) trade in Hong Kong dollars; Chinese car demand, price competition and export growth drive the stock.
BYD chart and analysis →Frequently asked questions
Which performed better over the past year, Tesla or BYD?
Tesla. In the 12 months to Oct 5, 2026, Tesla returned -19.1% and BYD -31.5%, a difference of 12.3 percentage points. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which performed better over the past five years, Tesla or BYD?
Tesla. From Oct 2021 to Oct 2026, Tesla returned +44.6% and BYD -9.0%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is more volatile, Tesla or BYD?
Tesla — about 1.3 times as volatile as BYD. Annualized volatility over the past year: Tesla 45.9%, BYD 36.6%. Deepest fall over five years: Tesla -72.2%, BYD -53.1%.
Do Tesla and BYD move together?
Almost no relationship: they have moved largely independently. The correlation of their daily returns over the past year was -0.05, on a scale from −1 (opposite moves) to +1 (moving in lockstep). Over five years of weekly returns it was 0.20.
How we calculate
Both series are aligned on the trading days (or weeks) they share, so every return covers the same dates for both assets. Periods up to one year use daily closes; three and five years use weekly closes. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of log returns, the deepest fall is measured on weekly closes, and correlation is the Pearson coefficient of returns over identical intervals. Data: Yahoo Finance and OKX, refreshed daily. Tesla is priced in US dollars and BYD's Hong Kong shares in Hong Kong dollars, which are pegged to the US dollar (7.75–7.85), so the returns are comparable.