With BYD expanding and more Chinese automakers entering, including Chery, Geely and SAIC, competition in the UK EV market is increasingly intensifying. Data released Wednesday by UK electric vehicle research group New Automotive showed that total passenger car registrations in the United Kingdom reached 83,377 units in February 2026, up 3.6% year on year. UK car registrations in Feb 2026 Electrification penetration continued to rise, with battery-electric vehicle registrations reaching 20,610 units during the month, accounting for nearly 25% of the overall market. Including plug-in hybrid vehicles, electrified models represented more than 34% of total registrations. At the brand level, BYD continued to post strong growth. Data showed BYD registered 2,044 vehicles in the UK in February, up 78% year on year. Of these, plug-in hybrid models accounted for 1,076 units, representing a 134% increase from a year earlier. BYD’s battery-electric vehicle sales in the UK reached 968 units during the month, up 40.9% year on year. The company ranked tenth among BEV brands in the UK in February and was the only Chinese brand to enter the top ten. On a cumulative basis, BYD registered 6,013 vehicles in the UK from January to February this year, including 2,331 BEVs and 3,682 PHEVs, indicating that PHEVs remain the dominant share of its sales mix in the market. YTD vehicle sales across different automakers in 2026 Tesla recorded a notable decline in February. The company registered 2,208 vehicles in the UK during the month, down 45.2% year on year, marking the largest decline among major battery-electric brands. Despite the drop, Tesla maintained the top position in the UK BEV market in terms of market share. From the beginning of the year to date, Tesla’s cumulative registrations in the UK reached 2,942 units, representing a year-on-year decline of 5%. UK car sales in Feb 2026 According to data from S&P Global Mobility, by the end of 2025 BYD had already surpassed Tesla in EV sales across more than 20 countries and regions worldwide, including major European markets such as the UK, Spain, and Italy, as well as Hong Kong and Singapore. This trend is also reflected in global sales. In 2025, BYD became the world’s top-selling EV brand with 2.257 million BEVs sold, significantly ahead of Tesla’s deliveries of 1.636 million units during the same period. Other Chinese automakers are also accelerating their presence in the UK. Chery recorded cumulative registrations of 9,793 vehicles in the UK during January and February this year, ranking sixth in the overall market. Geely registered 8,331 passenger vehicles in the UK year to date, while SAIC Motor — including its MG brand — recorded cumulative registrations of 7,991 units.
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