BYD saw sales increase across several European markets in March, closing the first quarter with strong figures in Spain — where it leads the plug-in hybrid market.
Registrations rose in the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden after a slow start to the year, as the end-of-quarter sales push typical of the auto industry took effect.
German and UK registration figures are expected later this week.
Despite Europe’s Northern countries having among the highest EV adoption rates globally, the Chinese automaker has focused on expanding in the Southern European markets — where sales grew significantly in 2025.
BYD‘s best-selling models in Europe — the entry-level Dolphin and Dolphin Surf compact models and the Atto 2 and Atto 3 SUVs — are urban-focused, more affordable vehicles.
They are only available in front-wheel drive, lacking RWD or AWD options.
In contrast, these drivetrain options are typically offered on more premium models such as the Seal and Han sedans, and the Sealion 7 and Tang SUVs.
Netherlands
BYD registered 1,464 vehicles in the Netherlands during the first quarter of 2026, more than doubling its year-over-year total.
March was the Chinese automaker’s strongest month on record in the country, with 777 registrations — a 188% increase compared to the same month last year and more than double the February figure.
BYD‘s best-selling model in the Netherlands during the quarter was the Seal U DM-i, a plug-in hybrid SUV priced from €39,620.
The model accounted for 889 of the brand’s 1,464 registrations, with 424 of those coming in March alone.
The BYD Seal 6, which debuted in September across Europe, added 165 registrations during the quarter, 147 of them in March.
Among its fully electric models, the Dolphin Surf and the Atto 2 SUV led with 101 and 98 registrations, respectively.
EVs accounted for 30% of Dutch new-vehicle registrations during the first quarter, while hybrids dominated the market with a share above 58%.
BYD sold 4,370 vehicles in the Netherlands in 2025, more than 1,000 units above its prior-year total.
Norway
BYD ranked seventh among all brands in Norway, where EVs accounted for a record 98.4% of new-vehicle sales in March.
March drove the bulk of the quarter, with 651 registrations following a slow start to the year.
The company had sold just 50 vehicles in January and 126 in February — a 57.5% decline year over year.
The quarterly total reached 827 vehicles, a 29.3% increase from the same period a year before.
The Sealion 7 accounted for the majority of its Norwegian registrations during the quarter.
Unlike other European markets, where BYD offers a mix of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid models, the company sells exclusively fully electric vehicles in Norway.
Its lineup includes the Sealion 7 and Tang SUV — available in all-wheel drive and priced from NOK 469,900 ($48,400) and NOK 699,900 ($72,100), respectively — alongside the more affordable Seal U and Atto 3 SUVs, both starting at NOK 399,900 ($41,200).
France
In France, one of the largest automotive markets in the Old Continent, the Shenzhen-headquartered brand saw its registrations more than double in March.
BYD listed 1,540 in the French market, taking the first quarter total to 3,388 units.
March figures jumped by 133.7% from a year ago while in the January-March period registrations rose by 108.2%.
Tesla, which only sells pure EV models, recorded a 203.1% jump in March to 9,569 units.
Sweden
March was BYD‘s strongest month of the quarter in Sweden, with 158 registrations, following 112 in February and 35 in January.
The automaker registered 305 vehicles in Sweden during the first quarter of 2026, a 15% increase from 265 units in the same period last year.
According to data published by Mobility Sweden on Wednesday, the Seal U was BYD‘s best-selling model in Sweden during the quarter, accounting for 57 units.
The Seal 6 followed with 48 registrations. Both models are available as plug-in hybrids.
Among fully electric models, the Atto 2 recorded 16 registrations, the Atto 3 had 14, and the Sealion 7 accounted for 7 units.
An additional eleven Atto 2 registrations were of the DM-i plug-in hybrid variant, which is available for order in the market.
The Atto 2 DM-i brings the model’s quarterly total to 27 units.
BYD‘s Swedish lineup includes the Seal 6 and Seal U as plug-in hybrids, the Sealion 7 as a fully electric model, and the Atto 2 and Atto 3 as battery-electric options.
The Atto 2 DM-i plug-in hybrid is also available for order.
Fully electric vehicles accounted for 41% of the Swedish market during the first quarter, a 21% increase year over year. Plug-in hybrids held a 24% share.
BYD sold 1,019 vehicles in Sweden in 2025, nearly 300 units below its prior-year total.
Spain
The company’s results in Southern countries are much different from the previous ones.
BYD currently offers 13 models in Spain across both fully electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains, while operating 102 official dealerships and plans to expand the network to 130 locations this year.
Spanish registrations of the Chinese automaker have reached a new record last month — at 4,465 vehicles.
The result brings the company’s first-quarter total to 9,430 units, with a 16% market share, consolidating its leadership among plug-in brands year-to-date.
The brand also climbed to sixth place overall in the private customer sales during the month, with 2,452 units sold and a 4.7% share.
BYD‘s DM-i models led the company to 2,792 registrations and a 21.3% share of the PHEV segment in March.
Year-to-date, the powertrain accounts for 5,561 units and a 17.5% share, maintaining its first-place position.
The Atto 2 is BYD‘s best-selling plug-in vehicle in Spain so far in 2026, with 3,491 units registered and a 5.9% share.
BYD announced on Monday that it had surpassed 40,000 cumulative registrations in Spain, marking three years since it expanded its passenger vehicle lineup to the Iberian Peninsula.
The company sold 25,556 vehicles in the country in 2025, up from 5,393 in 2024 and 628 during its partial first year in 2023.
Overseas Sales
BYD‘s overseas deliveries have held steady at around 100,000 units per month in the first two months of the year — and jumped to nearly 120,000 in March.
The company said it aims to achieve 1.3 million sales outside China this year, a 24.3% increase from the nearly 1.05 million exports recorded in 2025.
On Monday, Reuters reported that the company is “highly confident” of reaching its 2026 overseas sales target of 1.5 million vehicles or even higher — a 15.4% increase from the previously set guidance.
As of March 31, BYD had achieved 24.7% of the original target — and 21.4% of the updated one.
As of the end of 2025, the company was present across 110 countries.
The automaker has a target of operating 2,000 sales points in Europe by the end of 2026.
Earlier this year, BYD began trial production in its first European plant in Hungary, following delays in completing construction of the passenger vehicle factory.
Manufacturing fully electric vehicles in Europe allows the automaker to avoid the European Commission tariffs imposed in October 2024 on imported EVs.
Last October, Reuters reported that BYD was considering Spain for its third European factory, after Turkey and Hungary.
A BYD Portugal executive revealed weeks later that Spain’s neighbor was also under consideration.
