By FREDA LEWIS-STEMPEL, MOTORING REPORTER
BYD (Build Your Dreams) is now the biggest seller of 'electrified' cars in the UK, it has been confirmed.
The Chinese powerhouse company ended the year with 51,422 vehicle registrations - a record breaking sales result that has seen it move to 17th overall in the brand sales charts, overtaking the likes of Mini, Mazda, Dacia and - long-running rival - Tesla.
More than one in ten (12 per cent) of all New Energy Vehicles (NEV) sales - which includes both fully-electric and plug-in hybrid cars - in December were BYD models, with its Seal U DM-i SUV closing out 2025 as Britain’s most popular plug-in hybrid.
BYD only arrived in the UK in early 2023, but has since gone on to capture the electric car market in particular.
The news comes after BYD globally overtook Tesla as the world's biggest electric car seller last year.
BYD (Build Your Dreams) is now the biggest New Energy Vehicle (maker of fully-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles) in the UK
While BYD sold 2.26 million electric vehicles across the globe in 2025, Tesla sold only 1.64 million.
While Tesla saw a decrease of nine per cent in EV sales, BYD recorded a whopping 27 per cent increase in electric sales.
Overall BYD achieved a British market share of 2.5 per cent, up from only 0.5 per cent in 2024. In December alone, BYD sold 7,683 cars to UK buyers.
Speaking on the news, Bono Ge, country manager of BYD UK, said: 'Ending 2025 with 51,422 registrations is an unbelievable achievement for BYD UK, and I would like to sincerely thank our customers for their enthusiasm for the brand and their confidence in our advanced EV and DM-i technologies.
'This result is further proof that our wide range of award-winning New Energy Vehicles are proving to be hugely desirable with both private and fleet buyers.'
While the U DM-i SUV took home the plug-in hybrid crown, the Dolphin Surf was BYD's best selling all-electric car.
BYD is expanding its UK range quickly, with 2026 seeing the launch of the new Sealion DM-i and Atto 2 DM-i PHEVs. It's expected that BYD will also launch a number of all-electric cars too.
While BYD saw massive growth last year, upping UK sales by 485 per cent from just under 8,800 units in 2024 to almost 51,500 sales in 2025, it wasn't the best-selling Chinese brands of all.
MG retains that crown in Britain for the time being. It sold 85,155 cars in the UK last term - 4.4 per cent more than in 2024 - and is the 10th favourite brand by sales volumes.
Chinese rivals including Jaecoo, Omodo and Chery - all owned by the same parent group - also stamped their mark on the UK market last year.
Jaecoo, with 28,232 registrations, outsold legacy brands including Honda, Seat and Citroen, while Omoda's 19,855 sales were more than Porsche, Suzuki and Lexus.
BYD's tiny electric city car the Dolphin Surf was its best selling all-electric car last year
Tesla's Annus horribilis saw intensified competition from Chinese rivals (Geely, MG and Chery), CEO Elon Musk's politics creating backlash against the brand and mixed reviews of new models
BYD's sales going from strength to strength last year coincided with Tesla's Annus horribilis which saw intensified competition from Chinese rivals (Geely, MG and Chery), CEO Elon Musk's politics creating backlash against the brand and mixed reviews of new models.
Tesla made the decision to lower prices of two of its most popular EVs, the Model 3 and Model Y SUV.
Last year, it launched a cut-price version of its best-selling Model Y called the Model Y Standard to entice buyers with lower budgets to the brand.
The cheaper Model Y Standard is available to order and is £3,000 cheaper than the outgoing Model Y Rear Wheel Drive. The Standard costs £41,990
Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell, analysed Tesla's position for the Daily Mail: 'Tesla had the first mover advantage with electric vehicles, but its moment in the sun has long gone.
'Price is incredibly important to drivers and BYD has muscled its way to the top by undercutting its American rival.'
He added: 'While Tesla might argue it has the edge on battery range and technology, many people are happy for a more standard offering as they embrace electric power.
'BYD is far from a no-frills offering though, as it competes well on features as well as price.
'Tesla is fighting back with more affordable vehicles, but the outspoken nature and political views of CEO Elon Musk means the brand is off limits to many drivers, no matter the price point.'
