In September alone, Chinese automakers sold 40,729 vehicles in the UK, marking a staggering 235% year-on-year increase. This figure accounted for nearly 30% of total sales in the first three quarters of the year, during which Chinese brands sold 142,684 units in the UK—a 91% rise compared to the same period last year.
The data, compiled from overseas sales reports, includes both exported vehicles and locally assembled models. Beyond the UK, markets like Australia, Peru, Spain, and Thailand also saw significant growth in Chinese auto sales from January to September.
September also set a record for electric vehicle (EV) deliveries in the UK, with 72,779 new battery-electric vehicles registered—the highest monthly tally ever. As a key month for new license plate registrations, September typically represents about one-seventh of annual sales. According to Summit Therapeutics PLC (SMMT), UK new car registrations rose 13.7% to 312,891 units, making it one of the strongest months in a decade, second only to September 2020 (328,041 units).
EVs now dominate over 50% of new UK registrations. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) grew fastest at 56.4%, capturing 12.2% market share, while hybrid EVs (HEVs) accounted for 15.3%. Pure electric vehicles (BEVs) made up 23.3%.
Notably, Chinese automakers secured three spots in the UK’s top 10 best-selling models for September: - Chery’s Jaecoo 7 ranked 4th with 6,489 units sold. - BYD’s Seal U took 6th place with 5,373 units. - MG HS clinched 8th with 5,173 units.
Jaecoo, Chery’s overseas-focused brand, launched its first UK SUV, the Jaecoo 7, in January, targeting the premium market with both fuel and hybrid variants. Chery noted stronger demand for hybrids in the region.
BYD saw explosive growth, with UK passenger car sales hitting 11,271 units in September—up 880% year-on-year and 541% month-on-month.
Industry analysts attribute the surge to the resilience of China’s automotive supply chain post-pandemic, driving record export growth since 2021. Chinese brands are now entering a strategic new phase, expanding from overseas assembly (KD) to localized production, led by automakers like BYD, MG (SAIC), Geely, and Great Wall Motors—with Chery’s recent performance particularly standout.
Preliminary data shows Chinese automakers sold approximately 336,000 units overseas in September, up 25% year-on-year and 18% month-on-month. From January to September, overseas sales totaled 2.42 million units, a 12% increase.
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