BYD: everything you need to know 

By Ben Welham

Last updated: 16 September 2025

BYD is everywhere at the moment, so you might be wondering who makes BYD cars and what BYD stands for. 

The short answers are that BYD is an emerging Chinese car brand that makes its own cars, and its name stands for ‘Build Your Dreams’. 

It aims to disrupt the car market with low-priced (mostly electric) cars – and it’s doing well so far, by the way – but there’s more to it than that. 

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about BYD. 

What we’ll cover in this guide to BYD 

• Who are BYD? 

• Who makes and owns BYD? 

• Where are BYD cars from and made? 

• Full BYD lineup 

• BYD prices and value 

• BYD range and charging 

• BYD reliability and ownership 

• BYD vs. Tesla: which is better? 

• BYD UK availability 

What is BYD? 

BYD is a Chinese electric car brand that first came to the UK in 2023 and has since taken the world by storm, creating budget-friendly electric cars to rival the likes of Tesla. 

However, it actually started way back in 1995 as a battery manufacturer called Yadi Electronics, rebranding to BYD in 2003 for the launch of its first car: the F3. 

Even back in the mid-90s, BYD set out to ‘change the world by creating a complete, clean-energy ecosystem that reduces the world's reliance on fossil fuels.’ 

It wants to provide more possibilities for a better life, hence the name ‘Build Your Dreams’.  

Who are BYD cars for? 

The beauty of BYD cars is that they can fit into everyone’s life. As more electric cars are adopted, the faster and wider the charging network grows, making them more accessible to more people. 

And thanks to a wide range of models at affordable price points – from small city cars right up to big family SUVs – BYD is helping to speed up the electric adoption further. 

Who makes BYD cars?  

BYD cars are made by BYD Auto, part of the wider group that makes up BYD and includes other companies that make electronic components, including the batteries and tech in BYD Auto's cars. 

Who owns BYD?  

Technically, BYD is a group of companies that includes BYD Auto (which makes the cars), and BYD Electronics and FinDreams (which make electronic components, some of which are used in the cars).  

Its owners include the founders Wang Chuanfu and Lu Xiangyang, but as a public company, listed on the stock exchange, it has investors from around the world, including Berkshire Hathaway and BlackRock. 

Where are BYD cars made?  

BYD cars are mostly made in China at one of a number of factories, including its headquarters in Shenzhen, and it’s the biggest car maker in the country.  

As it grows, BYD is also adding more factories around the world – including Hungary and Turkey, with more likely to be added as demand increases.  

How big is the BYD factory?  

BYD is currently building a factory in Shenzhen, China, which will be one of the biggest electric car building facilities in the world. It’ll span more than 32,000 acres once completed (or the size of Manchester, plus about 1,500 football fields). 

This makes it a true giant and more than 10 times (yes, 10) larger than Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada. 

And it needs to be this big because it’s designed to be able to produce around one million electric vehicles per year.  

Full BYD lineup 

BYD Dolphin SURF 

The smallest car BYD makes for the UK market is the Dolphin SURF, with an attractive price and loads of features. Not to mention the fantastic optional bright yellow paint. 

It has a 200-mile range and can rapid charge from 30-80% in just 22 minutes.  

BYD Dolphin 

A versatile electric hatchback with sleek, Dolphin-like looks and a well-equipped cabin, the BYD Dolphin means business. 

This gets a 265-mile range and 201hp for a 0-62mph time of seven seconds. 

BYD ATTO 2 

Electric compact SUVs are all the rage, so something like the ATTO 2 from BYD brings impressive looks and clever packaging. 

It gets a 400-litre boot, a 267-mile range and a 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds.  

BYD ATTO 3 

If you want something with a bit more space then step up into the BYD ATTO 3 healthy 440-litre boot and SUV proportions. 

You also get 260 miles of range and, for the numbers fans, an impressive 3.88mi/kWh efficiency – around the same as a Tesla Model 3. 

BYD SEAL 

Competing with the Tesla Model 3 even more closely, the BYD SEAL is a highly efficient, upmarket electric saloon. 

It has a 354-mile range thanks to its massive 82.5kWh battery pack and a brisk 0-62mph time of just 3.8 seconds. 

BYD SEALION 7 

BYD calls the SEALION 7 its ‘electric performance SUV’ and it isn’t wrong.  

With up to 530hp, it can do the 0-62mph sprint in 4.5 seconds and has a 312-mile range, all while being one of BYD’s biggest cars. 

BYD SEAL U DM-i 

The BYD SEAL U DM-i is somewhat of an outlier in its lineup because it isn’t fully electric. Instead, it’s a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). 

But this means it can drive up to 699 miles using a combination of petrol and electricity (or 78 miles on electric alone), while still having all the tech of the other cars. 

What’s the smallest BYD car? 

The smallest BYD you can buy in the UK is called the BYD Dolphin SURF (known as the Seagull in other markets). 

It might be a small city car, but its specs are mighty, with an impressive range and loads of tech, such as a 10-inch rotating screen and a 360-degree parking camera. 

What’s the fastest BYD car?  

In the UK, the fastest BYD you can buy is the SEAL AWD, which has 530hp and can accelerate from 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds and has a top speed of 110mph (not that you should be doing that on the road anyway). 

However, BYD also owns a sub-brand called Yangwang (not yet in the UK), which makes the U9 Track Edition supercar with 3,000hp and an astonishing 0-62mph time of 2.36 seconds. This is about as insane as motoring gets. 

BYD prices and value 

Being relatively new to the market, BYD had to play its cards right, and pricing its cars right was the first step it had to make. 

How much is a BYD car?  

The hatchbacks start at less than £20,000 and offer lots of range and features. 

Even the larger and more premium models such as the SEAL and SEALION 7 are priced competitively at around £45,000. 

As of September 2025, no new BYD costs more than £60,100. Buy a used one and you can save a fortune. 

What’s the cheapest BYD car?  

The cheapest BYD for sale – the Dolphin SURF – starts from just £18,650 (as of Sept 2025) and is one of the best cheap electric cars in the UK. 

BYD range and charging 

BYD’s main feather in its cap is its battery technology. So much so that even Tesla relies on BYD for some of its batteries. 

This is thanks to its Blade batteries, which is almost 30 years of development brought to life. They’re long-lasting (good for over 5,000 charges and discharges), durable, can be charged quickly and are safe in the event of a collision.  

What’s the range of a BYD car?  

The best range of a BYD can be found in the SEAL with up to 354 miles. But even the cheapest BYD has a great range of 200 miles – and that’s in a tiny Fiat 500-sized city car. 

BYD is only going to improve this technology, so in the future we can have longer ranges and faster charging. If there was ever a brand ahead of the curve, it’s BYD and its batteries. 

How much does it cost to charge a BYD SEAL?  

This is going to depend massively on how much you need to charge it and where you plug it in. 

If you’re charging using AC at home, it could be as little as a few pounds to charge on an off-peak EV tariff. But use a public DC rapid charger and you could be spending upwards of £40. 

BYD reliability and ownership 

Any car brand now has to make the safest cars it possibly can to stick with regulations and different country’s rules. This means new brands coming to Europe like BYD must spend a lot of time and money on this. 

Every single BYD that’s been independently tested by Euro NCAP has scored five out of five stars for safety, offering excellent passenger protection. 

Are BYD cars good?  

If you want an electric car that does what it says on the tin and beyond, we think a BYD is a great option. 

Abhishek Sampat, Head of Electric Vehicles at cinch, said: “Considering prices start at less than £20,000 and you can get a BYD in all shapes and sizes, it’s hard to look past a BYD if you are looking at EVs.  

“You can get up to 354 miles of range and they’re all really well appointed in terms of technology and creature comforts. 

“Not to mention the super-efficient Blade battery, which has helped propel BYD to the top of the EV game.” 

How reliable are BYD cars?  

Electric cars are some of the most reliable cars on our roads. This is because they have fewer moving parts than an internal combustion engine, so – in theory – there’s less that could go wrong. 

And as we touched on above, BYD’s Blade battery technology is very safe, and also very strong (even when tested by hammering nails into it). 

BYD vs. Tesla: which is better? 

When comparing BYD and Tesla, there are a number of categories to consider. These are: 

Price: 

• BYD: £18,650-£60,100 

• Tesla: £39,990-£72,480 

Number of models in the UK:  

• BYD: Seven 

• Tesla: Two 

Electric range:  

• BYD: 200-354 miles 

• Tesla: 311-436 miles 

Charging speeds: 

• BYD: Up to 350kW (0-80% in 20min) 

• Tesla: 250kW (0-80% in less than 30min) 

Availability in the UK: 

• BYD: All models are readily available, new and used 

• Tesla: All models are readily available, new and used 

Safety: 

• BYD: All cars scored 5/5 stars at Euro NCAP 

• Tesla: All cars scored 5/5 stars at Euro NCAP

BYD vs. Denza 

BYD is the parent company of Denza, which is positioned as a premium sub-brand, like Lexus is to Toyota. 

It sits below BYD’s ultra-luxury Yangwang brand, so you can think of it as a Mercedes rival. 

Denza makes models such as the Z9 GT (a Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo rival) and D9 (Lexus LM rival), which are yet to make it to the UK. We can expect to see them from 2026. 

In terms of which is best for you, we’d recommend a BYD for most buyers, but if you want to tap into uber-luxury, hold out for a Denza. 

BYD vs. Yangwang 

Yangwang showcases the best BYD has to offer, sitting as a Bentley and Lamborghini rival. 

Yes, this is a broad mix of cars, but it covers more markets this way. It’s best-known for the U9 supercar with 3,000hp and insane track car abilities, and the U8 – a Land Rover Defender rival that can actually swim (we’re not joking) and do a tank turn on the spot. 

These models are reserved for the big spenders among us, so if you’re still interested in a bargain, a BYD is the smarter choice. 

We expect Yangwang to arrive in 2026/2027. 

BYD UK availability 

BYD’s made it to the UK, so there are plenty of models to go around, but where can you actually buy them? 

There are many places to buy a BYD in the UK, such as a selection of physical Marshall BYD stores – part of cinch’s extended family. 

You can also buy a used BYD online, saving thousands on a new car. 

When is the BYD Seagull coming to the UK?  

The BYD Seagull is already in the UK. Well, sort of.  

In Chinese and other markets, it's called the BYD Seagull, but in the UK, it’s called the Dolphin SURF.

Explore used BYD cars 

It’s no secret that BYD is here to stay. With lots of models to choose from and competitive pricing, it’s hardly surprising that it’s selling tens of thousands of cars in the UK. 

Find a used BYD for sale and get a fantastic electric car for a great price. 

Read more about Chinese electric cars: 

• Best Chinese electric cars in the UK

• New car brands coming to the UK