THE world’s third best-selling car brand in the world has opened his 100th dealership in the UK.
Manufacturer BYD has achieved the feat in an impressibly short period following its inaugural opening in April 2023.
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The car brand’s sales have spiked by an incredible 41.6% year on year since its inception.
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.
This comes after BYD looked reportedly set to release a low-cost, pint-sized hatchback called the Dolphin Surf later this year.
The highly ambitious Chinese car brand is hoping to compete with the likes of Dacia and Fiat with the release – which will be among cheapest available to buy from new.
In China, where it costs the equivalent of around £8,000, the model is known as the Seagull – keeping with the ocean theme, like the Seal and the Sealion.
However, the little EV will be made more sophisticated for its launch in Europe and the UK – which includes upgraded safety tech – hence the name change.
According to Autocar, the Dolphin Surf will be priced at less than £20,000, meaning it will undercut the likes of the Fiat Grande Panda and Citroen e-C3.
However, the Dacia Spring will likely remain the cheapest option in the UK at £15,000.
BYD’s executive vice-president, Stella Li, added that while the Dolphin Surf might not be the cheapest on sale, it would offer the best value.
The upcoming release comes as BYD looks to establish itself as a major player in the global car market – with the lofty goal of becoming the world’s largest car maker.
The UK is seen as a key market for its success, with BYD’s brand awareness increasing from 1% at the start of 2024 to 31% by the end of the year.
Their UK country manager, Bono Ge, said BYD would increase its number of dealers from 62 to 120 by the end of the year, with a target of 150 to 170 in the longer term, similar to those of Ford and Vauxhall.
Before the Dolphin Surf, they’re set to release the Sealion 7 – the seventh model in BYD’s UK range and their sixth EV.
