Chinese car dealerships take over Britain as drivers back cheap EVs

Louis Goss

Tue, May 19, 2026 at 8:44 AM EDT 3 min read

Chinese carmakers have taken over Britain by opening hundreds of dealerships across the country in just two years.

Data from Autotrader show the number of Chinese car dealers has increased more than four-fold from 95 in May 2024 to 440 today.

The rapid expansion means China’s leading manufacturers now have more showrooms in Britain than some of the most established Western brands.

Western carmakers have seen their market share eroded by new Chinese brands as drivers switch to buying lower-priced electric vehicles in the face of soaring fuel costs.

Jonathan Leary, from Geely’s dealership in Manchester, said: “There’s a lot of interest in EVs at the moment. They’re a lot cheaper to run, particularly with the current fuel situation.”

Shane Wright, from the Hartwell BYD dealership in Scunthorpe, said: “At some point it’ll be global takeover. Absolutely. 100pc. There’ll be Chinese cars everywhere.”

Another BYD dealer, based in Chichester, added: “People like EVs now. They’re the best value for money, and with fuel at nearly £2 a litre, electric is rather tasty looking.”

The shift has seen the top Western car companies close dozens of outlets since 2024 in the face of mounting competition from new Chinese rivals, whose vehicles are sometimes half the price.

BYD, which is China’s biggest car business, currently has the largest presence of any Chinese EV brand in Britain with 135 showrooms across the country.

The Shenzhen-headquartered company first entered the UK market in 2023 with the launch of two showrooms in Birmingham and Milton Keynes. It now has dealerships everywhere from Jersey to Inverness.

Omoda, which is owned by Chery Automobile, China’s third-largest car manufacturer, has 132 dealerships across the UK, having first entered the market in 2024.

The expansion means BYD and Omoda now have more showrooms in the UK than some of their main Western rivals. Škoda, the Czech car brand, has 127, while Germany’s Audi has 117.

Chinese companies including Geely, Changan and Leapmotor only entered the UK last year but already have dozens of locations across the country. Geely has also invested in some of the world’s biggest carmakers, with controlling stakes in Volvo and Lotus and a minority stake in Aston Martin.

At the same time, leading Western carmakers have seen their footprints shrink, as British customers have increasingly turned away from buying European, American and Japanese cars that once dominated the UK market.

Ian Plummer, the chief customer officer at Autotrader, said: “If a newer brand offers strong value and impressive tech, buyers are willing to give it a chance.”