(Yicai) July 15 -- China’s new energy vehicle brands are quickly gaining acceptance and market share in the United Kingdom, driven by growing electric vehicle adoption.

BYD chose to give the Denza Z electric supercar its global debut at the UK’s annual Goodwood Festival of Speed, one of the world’s most influential automotive events, launching the model for both UK and European customers on July 9.

Throughout the show, the Chinese car giant’s stand was among the busiest, attracting heavy footfall from consumers, journalists, and industry professionals alike -- all eager to check out its vehicles.

Several UK customers canceled their McLaren and Ferrari orders during the event to buy the Denza Z Racing edition instead, Bono Ge, general manager of BYD UK, told Yicai.

A UK auto industry insider said he bought a BYD car last year. “Chinese EVs are excellent, and I’ll stick to Chinese brands when I replace my car next time,” he noted, adding that MG, BYD, and Chery Automobile’s EV marque Jaecoo are the three most widely accepted Chinese auto brands in the UK.

Diagonally opposite the BYD stand at Goodwood was MG, which was founded in the UK in 1924 and acquired by China’s SAIC Motor in 2007. In the first half of the year, MG sold 48,741 NEVs in the UK, up over 14 percent from a year earlier, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

UK sales of BYD and Jaecoo surged 95 percent to 37,795 and 306 percent to 234,067, respectively. The Jaecoo 7 and the MG HS were among the country’s best-selling vehicle models in the six months ended June 30, ranking third and seventh, respectively, with sales of 23,840 and 16,721.

Among other Chinese NEV brands, Geely Automobile sold 6,497 vehicles in the UK in the first half, compared with zero in the same period last year. Leapmotor sold 6,770, up about 1,150 percent in the period. Xpeng Group’s sales surged 365 percent to 767.

The UK market stands out for its openness and clear electrification timetable, Ge said, adding that even though policies may undergo adjustments, the general direction remains unambiguous. With the competitiveness of Chinese brands continuously improving, “we’re confident of securing a leading position in this open market landscape,” he said.

The UK’s shift to EVs is irreversible, with more and more consumers now considering buying them, a local car dealer told Yicai. The arrival of Tesla, alongside Chinese auto brands, has greatly expanded the choice for UK buyers, he added.

More than 15 percent of the new cars sold in the UK market in the first half of the year were Chinese or Chinese owned, according to the SMMT.

The 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed ran from July 9 to 12.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Futura Costaglione