Author: Boštjan Jaušovec
Source: Google Photos / Electric Cars
A comprehensive analysis of 42,311 media articles about electric vehicles from January 2024 to June 2025 reveals key trends in the media landscape. Tesla maintains absolute dominance with 6,315 mentions, while Chinese BYD follows with a notable gap at 3,278 mentions. The data highlights a clear polarization of the market between the American-Chinese duopoly and European manufacturers.
Tesla in a League of Its Own – 6,315 Mentions
The Palo Alto pioneer of electromobility is mentioned in nearly 27% of all brand-related articles (6,315 out of a total of 23,744), confirming its status as the first true “electric car brand.”
Of all 42,311 analyzed articles, 23,744 referred to specific brands or models, while the rest discussed electric vehicles in general, using expressions such as “electric car,” “e-vehicle,” or “electromobility.”
Among Tesla models, the Model Y became the most popular in the media with 1,318 mentions, followed by the Model 3 (974) and Model S (580).
“Tesla’s media dominance is no surprise, the brand has become synonymous with electric cars,” Press Clipping notes. “The gap between Tesla and other manufacturers reveals an extraordinary concentration of media attention.”
BYD Secures Second Place, Volkswagen the Only European Brand in the Top Three
Chinese giant BYD, with 3,278 mentions, confirms its role as Tesla’s main challenger. Although Tesla nearly doubles BYD’s media presence, the Chinese manufacturer still significantly surpasses most European competitors.
Volkswagen is the only European automaker among the top three, with 1,519 mentions, far fewer than its Asian rivals. It is followed by Cupra (686), Audi (657), Nio (638), Hyundai (635), and BMW (623), illustrating the fragmentation of the European market among the 55 analyzed brands.
USA vs China – The Geopolitical Dimension
A geographical analysis also reveals the geopolitical backdrop of e-mobility. American brands (mainly Tesla) appear in 7,054 articles, while Chinese manufacturers (BYD, Nio, XPeng, and others) are present in 5,243.
These figures do not represent direct country mentions but rather the presence of their manufacturers in media discourse, clearly showing the dominance of the US-Chinese duopoly in the global electric vehicle industry.
Germany, as the traditional center of Europe’s automotive industry, is mentioned in 2,995 articles, followed by France (1,470), South Korea (957), and Sweden (910). In total, 13 countries of origin were identified, with a combined 20,881 mentions.
The chart shows countries through mentions of their car brand models in media coverage about electric vehicles (January 2024 – June 2025).
Models – Tesla Dominates, European Competition in the Shadows
Out of 152 analyzed models, Tesla takes the top two spots: Model Y (1,318) and Model 3 (974). The first non-American model is the Volkswagen ID.3 with 667 mentions, closely followed by the ID.4 (665).
Interestingly, Dacia Spring, though one of the most affordable models, received less media attention (511 mentions) than higher-priced competitors like Hyundai Ioniq (533), Cupra Born (541), and Audi e-tron (632). This shows that media visibility does not necessarily follow sales results but rather branding strategies.
Chinese newcomer Xiaomi SU7, with 485 mentions, is already drawing significant attention, reflecting the growing influence of Chinese automakers even in the premium segment.
What Does It Mean for the Industry?
Tesla’s media dominance reflects powerful corporate communication and the strong personal brand of Elon Musk, who continuously attracts public attention. BYD, while less visible, remains a serious competitor thanks to its aggressive pricing and rapid growth.
European manufacturers face a major challenge, fragmentation among numerous brands (Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Volvo, Peugeot, Cupra) prevents them from individually reaching a critical mass of media attention. Even combined, the Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen, Audi, Cupra) with 2,862 mentions trails behind BYD alone.
Looking Ahead
The entry of new Chinese manufacturers into the European market and Tesla’s plans to lower model prices will likely deepen the polarization of the market. The key question is whether European automakers can unify their communication strategies and increase their media visibility.
The data suggests that media presence does not necessarily reflect market share, offering an opportunity for brands that know how to communicate effectively with the public.
A recent example of such an approach is the partnership between Plan-net auto, Chinese brand Dongfeng, and NK Olimpija Ljubljana. Although Dongfeng is not among the most mentioned brands, its entry into the Slovenian market through sports sponsorship shows alternative ways to build recognition.
Dongfeng’s Box model, offered at an affordable price with subsidies, reflects the aggressive pricing strategy of Chinese manufacturers, who compensate for lower media visibility with accessibility and direct consumer communication.
Methodology
The analysis is based on 42,311 media articles published between January 2024 and June 2025. The sample was drawn from the Press Clipping database, covering the entire Slovenian media landscape.
All articles containing words with the root “electr” in connection with vehicles (electric car, e-vehicle, electromobility, etc.) were included. The monitoring systematically tracked 55 different electric-vehicle brands, including Tesla, BYD, Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Renault, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Kia, Volvo, and others.
The goal was to encompass both generic expressions and specific manufacturers, analyzing the broader media discourse around e-mobility.
Minor deviations are possible due to variations in the way brands and models are written in the media (e.g., “VW ID.3,” “Volkswagen ID3,” “Tesla Model 3,” etc.).
A significant portion of the content (around one-third) comes from news aggregators (telex.si, novice24.net, aktualno24.si), which do not produce original content but rather republish existing news. Their inclusion increases the overall numbers but does not necessarily affect the hierarchy among brands.
It is important to note that the results do not represent market shares or sales figures, but solely media presence and reporting patterns during the analyzed period.
