BYD unveils its plan in the UK, since selling cars was just the beginning, and its sales are skyrocketing by 880%. The Chinese multinational manufacturing company has had operations in the UK for over a decade now. It began with electric buses in 2014 and expanded its operations in 2016 to battery energy storage. Most recently, it has been breaking barriers with its passenger cars, and now, it has set its sights on breaking even more barriers with its latest expansions in the UK and European markets.
The UK is supportive of going electric
The UK has been highly supportive of transitions to electric vehicles (EVs) due to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate. This mandate maintains that automakers must sell a specified number of zero-emission cars, such as EVs, gradually increasing the sales percentage to 100% over time. In the UK, the goal is to achieve 100% sales in zero-emission cars by 2035, according to a report by EVA England.
According to the UK Government, the UK is supportive of going electric, and this support is driven by the following environmental benefits:
- EVs have significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions than petrol cars
- Since EVs have zero tailpipe emissions, the air quality will improve, especially in urban areas
BYD has certainly capitalised on the UK’s support of transitioning away from greenhouse gas-emitting cars, and its skyrocketing sales of EVs are solid proof. Now, the automaker may go even bigger, as BYD unveils its plan in the UK, highlighting its ambitions.
Sales are skyrocketing by 880%
According to a report by CNBC, BYD’s biggest market outside of China is in the UK. It comes as no surprise, as the automaker recently celebrated achieving its car wave with 100 dealerships in the UK. In September, BYD achieved a significant number of sales, reaching 11,271 sold in the UK. This number indicates that the automaker had an 880% year-on-year growth, which is no easy feat.
BYD has sold over 35,000 EVs in 2025 alone. The reason behind its extreme success? A strong driver is the affordability of its EVs. In the UK, the BYD Dolphin has a starting price of just over £26,000, which is significantly more affordable than Tesla’s Model 3, which costs nearly £40,000. According to the company, the most popular models for UK customers were the:
- Hybrid SEAL U DM-i
- Electric SEALION 7
BYD unveils its plan in the UK
A report by Bus-News has unveiled BYD’s latest plans for expansion in the UK, including the introduction of its eBus Platform 3.0 and a new car range. The eBus Platform 3.0 will feature BYD’s Blade battery technology, which will:
- Decrease total weight
- Increase rigidity
- Decrease the gravity centre
- Enhance safety and energy efficiency
- Allow improved battery capacity
- Allow range flexibility
To support its expansion and sales, BYD plans to establish a battery support workshop in Milton Keynes, UK. The automaker’s latest bus range will also incorporate:
- Intelligent body control to adjust stiffness in real time
- Smart regenerative braking, which will enable energy recovery of 100% to decrease the need for mechanical braking and decrease the wear on brake components
- Blowout control system to maintain stability in the event of a tyre failure
The reintroduction of the electric car grant in July has significantly improved the sales of EVs in the UK this past September. As the end of 2025 rapidly approaches, we cannot help but wonder what the future will hold for EVs and their manufacturers alike. Some are transitioning away from electric and hybrid cars, with a renewed focus on hydrogen as a fuel. This is indicative of the hydrogen screamers’ lineup, hoping to rewrite the future of F1. The popularity of EVs has just started to rise; will it fall just as soon?
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