Chinese automotive giant BYD is gaining serious traction in the UK. Our motoring journalist Tim Barnes-Clay caught up with Bono Ge, Country Manager for BYD UK & Ireland, to discuss growth, customer perception, and what's next - including the arrival of premium sub-brand Denza.
Q: How is BYD performing in the UK right now?
A: I think we're being very lucky. UK customers really appreciate technology, and that's worked in our favour. We entered the passenger car market here in 2023 and delivered around 1,000 cars. In 2024, that grew to roughly 8,000. For 2025, we got to around 51,000 units. So the growth has been very rapid - and we're grateful that customers here recognise both our technology and our value-for-money proposition.
Q: Do UK buyers understand what BYD stands for?
A: That's an interesting question. When we first arrived, we used the full "Build Your Dreams" name on the badge - but English speakers didn't always think it sounded very cool! But the name itself isn't the most important thing. What matters is that customers understand we're a high-tech company offering real innovation.
Q: Tell us about the latest car you're launching
A: It's the evolution of our first UK model, the BYD Atto 3 - now called the "Atto 3 Evo," with "Evo" standing for evolution. We've listened carefully to customer feedback and improved several key areas. We've added a 95-litre front trunk - perfect for charging cables - and increased rear boot space to 490 litres.
Acceleration is now very strong, too - with 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds. Charging has also improved significantly - up to 220kW, compared with 88kW before - thanks to our 800-volt architecture. Also, this is our first European model to feature full Google Automotive Services. That includes Google Maps, Google Assistant, and access to the Google Play Store for apps.
Q: Where do you see BYD heading in the UK over the next few years?
A: We're already becoming a major player, but we're looking at the bigger picture. Before passenger cars, we introduced electric buses - and today, we have around 3,000 electric buses on UK roads, which is about 70% of the market. The UK is a very big car market, so there's enormous potential for us.
Q: What challenges and opportunities do you see for EV adoption?
A: There are challenges, like global energy issues and rising fuel prices. But that's where our technology helps. If you have solar panels, electric vehicles are the perfect match. If you don't, we also offer flexibility through plug-in hybrid technology - giving customers the choice between charging and refuelling. It's about giving people options that fit their lifestyle.
Q: You're also bringing a premium brand to the UK - what can you tell us about that?
A: Yes, we're introducing Denza, which was created in China as a venture between BYD and Daimler. A few years ago, we decided to bring the car to Europe, and we previewed it at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last year, receiving very positive feedback.
We plan to launch three products to start with. The first one is the Z9 GT - a beautifully designed shooting brake, available as both EV and plug-in hybrid. And then the second one is the B5 - with dual-mode off-road technology and strong capability in extreme environments. Then the third product is called the D9. It’s a premium MPV that has already proven very popular in the Asian market. We launched that in Hong Kong, where we got great feedback. We see there's a similarity between Hong Kong and London, so we hope we get great feedback from customers in the UK, too.