The location of the new BYD showroom in London is strategic. Located in the heart of Mayfair, one of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in the British capital, the Chinese manufacturer’s boutique is next to a Rolls-Royce dealership and a Land Rover brand. Inside, four models are displayed in a space whose walls are covered by screens that transmit images of the underwater world. The electric blue Dolphin stands out, a model that has a range of 426 kilometres and has begun to circulate on the roads on the other side of the Channel.
The United Kingdom has become fertile ground for Chinese electric vehicle brands. Great Wall Motors, which had made an unsuccessful first foray in 2012 with an electric pick-up, was the first to set up shop there and launched its Ora model on the British market in 2022. It was followed by SAIC, which launched a multi-seater vehicle for sale the same year, then by BYD in 2023. This summer, the Chery group, in turn, entered the country. Xpeng and Nio, for their part, plan to set up there in 2025.
Peter Wells, director of the Automotive Industry Research Centre at Cardiff University, points out “a real thrill” around these vehicles. BYD, which is neck and neck with US company Tesla to dominate global electric car sales, is increasing the number of showroom openings and dealer deals. Chinese brands now account for 10% of new powertrain registrations in the UK, up from 3% to 4% five years ago, according to the Department for Transport.
“Binding objectives”
The British market is notable for its openness to Chinese carmakers. Anxious to protect its domestic industry from competition from China, the United States introduced a 102.5% import tax on electric cars from that country in May. The European Union followed suit in July, adopting taxes ranging from 27.4% to 47.6%. No longer obliged since Brexit to respect European decisions, British Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds promised this summer that he would not launch an investigation into the practices of Chinese electric vehicle producers.
Indeed, London fears provoking the wrath of Beijing by jeopardising its access to the Chinese market, which is crucial for its own car industry, in particular for the Rolls-Royce, Jaguar and Bentley groups, which generate an increasing share of their sales in China. “The UK government has also set binding targets for electric vehicle sales.Peter Wells stresses. To achieve this, the number of “green” cars made available to consumers, particularly those that are affordable, must be maximised. »
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