Chinese giant BYD has registered a record 11,271 vehicles in the UK last month, according to data published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) on Monday.
The figures represented nearly a tenfold increase from a year ago and led the UK to become the brand’s largest overseas market.
The last time BYD posted monthly sales above 6,000 units was in March, when the brand registered 6,480 units.
Since then, numbers have been between 1,759 (in August) and 4,583 (in June) units.
BYD sales in September jumped over 500% from August — even considering that it is not included in the UK’s Electric Car Grant Program, launched in August.
Ahead of the program’s launch, BYD‘s Executive VP Stella Li has recently told the Financial Times that the subsidy did “not make any sense.”
“This subsidy actually sounds like they will give some companies a benefit, but it’s more like a drug,” Li stated. “If you get rid of this, you will suffer.”
In August, the UK Government launched a £650 million ($873 million) Electric Car Grant Program, as part of its Plan for Change.
The program is set to run until 2028/2029 and will offer discounts up until £3,750 for EV models priced under £37,000, based on the sustainability of vehicle manufacturing.
According to the Government, it is not the consumer, but the seller who must apply for the grant and include it as a discount in the purchase price.
Over 35 models in the UK qualify for a discount of up to £1,500 already. The list did include any Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) maker, as of Monday.
BYD‘s market share in the UK jumped to 3.6%, with both fully electric and plug-in hybrid models offered in the country.
Battery electric vehicles (BEV) accounted for 72,779 out of the total 312,891 vehicles registered in the UK last month, while plug-in hybrids (PHEV) represented 38,308 units.
In Germany, 235,528 vehicles were sold in September, from which 45,495 were fully electric and 27,685 were plug-in hybrids.
BYD registered 3,255 vehicles in Europe’s largest auto market, according to data published by the KBA on Monday.
It represents a jump from 140 units sold in September 2024. Figures nearly tripled from August’s 1,114 units.
It was also the company’s highest sales month ever in Germany. Year to date, it has registered 11,818 vehicles in the market.
