Tue, 07 Oct 2025

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 Chinese EV giant BYD sees UK sales soar by 880%

The Shenzhen-based electric car maker says the UK is now its biggest market outside China.
BYD, a Chinese car manufacturer, has reported a significant surge in sales in the UK, with its sales increasing by 880% in September compared to the same period last year. The company's plug-in hybrid model, Seal U sports utility vehicle (SUV), accounted for the majority of these sales, with 11,271 vehicles sold in total. This marks a major milestone for BYD, which has become the UK's largest market outside China. The UK is an attractive location for BYD due to its favorable trade policies towards Chinese electric vehicles (EVs). Unlike other major markets such as the European Union and the US, the UK does not impose tariffs on Chinese EV imports. As a result, BYD has been able to offer competitive pricing in the UK market. BYD's share of the UK market increased to 3.6% in September, with the company expecting further growth in the coming months. The UK manager for BYD, Bono Ge, stated that the brand's future in Britain looks "hugely exciting", citing the recent opening of its 100th retail outlet. The UK saw a record high in EV sales last month, with almost 73,000 pure battery electric vehicles sold. Sales of plug-in hybrid cars also grew significantly, with Chinese models such as the Jaecoo 7 and BYD Seal U featuring among the top sellers. However, despite this surge in EV sales, petrol and diesel vehicles still accounted for over half of new car sales in September.
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