A TOP-selling car brand is set to launch a “super hybrid” vehicle in the UK – and it is £13,000 cheaper than a BMW rival.
The all-new BYD Seal 6 PHEV will soon be available for customers to buy in the UK – and it will be cheaper than most of its major rivals.
The new offering from the Chinese EV brand will feature a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine which will be attached to two electiric motors powering the front wheels.
And motorists will be able to buy the base variant for just for just £33,990.
That is £13,000 less than the BMW 330e PHEV, which will be its direct rival in the auto market.
Customers will also have the option to buy the estate sedan for just £1,000 more.
This comes as BYD’s UK EV sales hit a record high, with battery electric vehicle sales reaching nearly 73,000 and plug-in hybrids growing even faster.
According to figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), BYD sold 11,271 cars in September, with the plug-in hybrid version of its Seal U SUV accounting for the majority.
BYD’s huge rise is partly down to the UK’s lack of tariffs on Chinese EVs – in contrast with the European Union and the US where levies are imposed to protect local manufacturers.
Coupled with BYD’s budget-friendly prices and tech-heavy features, the rising brand has become a very attractive option for UK buyers.
The company, one of the world’s best-selling car manufacturers – eclipsing the likes of Tesla and BMW for sales globally – now plans to launch more hybrid and electric models in the coming months.
They’ve also recently opened their 100th retail outlet in Britain.
BYD’s rapid rise is also putting pressure on a number of traditionally popular brands such as Vauxhall – one of Britain’s oldest and most iconic carmakers.
In September, while Vauxhall managed to sell 12,120 cars, BYD is closing the gap and could soon overtake them, particularly as demand for its vehicles continues to grow.
Vauxhall, now owned by Stellantis, has historically been a leader in the UK market and while the evergreen Corsa remains popular, selling 5,841 units in September, BYD’s Seal U isn’t far behind, with 5,373 units sold.
The Chinese electric car juggernaut – short for Build Your Dreams – has rocketed from making mobile phone batteries in the ’90s to becoming the biggest electric vehicle brand on Earth.
Last year alone, BYD raked in over £80 billion in revenue, selling millions of cars and buses across Asia, Europe and beyond. It’s now eyeing Britain and the rest of Europe, and it’s not coming quietly.
In 2024, it overtook Tesla in global sales of electric vehicles, driven by strong domestic demand and a surge in exports.
It’s also been aggressively expanding into public transport — its electric buses are already operating in cities across the UK and Europe.
