UK sees spike in electric car interest as drivers step away from petrol and diesel vehicles

According to Auto Trader, it recorded 189,387 views of its adverts for new and used BYD models since the start of the tournament on June 14.

This was a 33 per cent increase in views compared with 142,537 during the previous month.

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BYD bought prominent slots on advertising boards at the Euro matches in Germany, which have all been broadcast to millions of Britons back home.

Auto Trader editorial director Erin Baker said: “England and Spain may be fighting for the trophy, but it’s clear from our data that China’s BYD is already a big winner off the pitch.

“Rising traffic on the Auto Trader website across the four weeks of this tournament shows that there’s been a step-change in awareness of BYD little more than a year after they entered the UK market.”

BYD sales have been growing rapidly in the UK with the Euros partnership “cementing them in the public consciousness,” Baker added.

Interest in BYD models since the beginning of Euro 2024 has been led by the Seal, a saloon car currently priced at £33,150.

The adverts have been the fourth-most viewed among EVs during that period, with the Tesla Model 3 in first place followed by the Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV9.

Separate Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders figures show that by the end of June, there had been 4,062 UK sales of new BYD cars since March 2023, when the Chinese manufacturer entered the UK market.

But while interest in Chinese vehicles has been growing due to the lower price point, the EU has not been as supportive of the uptick in foreign investment.

The European Commission announced last month proposed tariffs of 17.4 per cent on BYD vehicles bought in the European Union to help encourage domestic buying.

It said it is concerned that Chinese car makers are benefiting from “unfair” subsidies which are “causing a threat of economic injury to EU BEV producers”.

The investigation into BYD tariffs also examined the likely consequences and impact of measures on importers, users and consumers of EVs in Europe.

Electric cars on offer in the UK already have been warned of having too high of a price point, with Chinese models offering a much cheaper alternative.

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BYD revealed in April that it was mulling over plans to launch the cheapest electric vehicle in the UK market to date.

With a reported starting price of £8,000, as sold in China, the BYD Seagull would make it the cheapest option available to drivers across the UK.