BYD's UK EV Sales Skyrocket by 880%, Shaking Up the Market!

BYD, a major Chinese car manufacturer, has seen its sales in the UK skyrocket by 880 percent in September compared to the same month last year. The company sold 11,271 vehicles, with the majority being the plug-in hybrid version of its Seal U sports utility vehicle. This surge has made the UK BYD's largest market outside of China. The UK is an attractive place for BYD and other Chinese car makers because, unlike the European Union and the United States, the UK does not impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. This allows BYD to offer its cars at lower prices than many Western competitors, helping its market share jump to 3. 6 percent in September.

BYD's UK manager, Bono Ge, said the brand's future in Britain is 'hugely exciting,' especially after opening its 100th retail outlet. The company plans to launch more hybrid and electric models in the coming months. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, UK sales of battery electric vehicles reached a record high last month, with nearly 73,000 units sold. Plug-in hybrid cars saw even faster growth. While the Kia Sportage, Ford Puma, and Nissan Qashqai were the top sellers, Chinese models like the Jaecoo 7 and BYD Seal U also made it into the top ten.

Despite the growth in electric vehicle sales, petrol and diesel cars still accounted for more than half of new car sales in the UK last month. The European Union has introduced tariffs of up to 45 percent on Chinese electric vehicles to protect its own car makers from what it sees as unfair competition due to Chinese government subsidies. The United States has also imposed high tariffs, making it difficult for BYD to enter that market. Globally, BYD's sales are ahead of US rival Tesla and European brands like Jaguar and BMW. The UK government offers subsidies of up to £3,750 for buyers of certain electric cars, but Chinese-made vehicles are excluded because of concerns about emissions during manufacturing. BYD has criticized this decision, warning it could harm the UK's car market in the long run.