A fortnight after the launch of the new BYD SHARK 6, a plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) pickup truck, in Kenya by Loxea Kenya, the Chinese automobile manufacturer has set a new sales record in the UK, selling 9,271 cars in Q1 alone.

Loxea Kenya, a subsidiary of CFAO Mobility Kenya, while celebrating BYD’s impressive growth in the UK, confirmed that its sales success in Kenya is also beginning to grow, with the first BYD SHARK 6 shipment already sold out.

Speaking in Nairobi, Loxea Kenya Managing Director Jennifer Kinyoe said the firm has placed a replenishment order to meet the fast-growing demand of its customer. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), she said, are proving to be a popular customer choice as charging and after-sales service infrastructure continues to grow countrywide.

Alongside the BYD SHARK 6, BYD by Loxea in Kenya, the BYD Sealion 6, also a PHEV Model, is enjoying steady growth, with five recently received models now heading out to clients and another five in the high seas, confirming the growing brand demand.

“BYD vehicles are proving to be very popular models among discerning local clients in Kenya and beyond, seeking quality mobility solutions. Barely two weeks into the launch of the BYD SHARK 6, we have successfully sold the first five units shipped last month,” Kinyoe said. She added, “We have placed follow-up orders and the pre-order list is growing fast, as we expect to deliver more BYD SHARK 6 vehicles to clients on the waiting list by the end of the year.”

In the UK, the new sales record is not only BYD UK’s most successful quarter since the company introduced passenger cars in March 2023, but also means the company sold more cars in the most recent quarter than the whole of 2024 combined.

This impressive achievement has propelled BYD’s UK market share to 1.6%, from 0.45% in 2024. In March alone, the total market share was 1.8%, in exactly two years since the company launched passenger cars in the UK.

The SEAL U DM-i and SEAL were the standout sales stars in Q1, with the former the best-performing model in the PHEV segment and the latter the seventh best-selling model in the pure electric category. The company registered 3,975 SEAL U DM-i and 2,521 SEAL.

Steve Beattie, Sales and Marketing Director, BYD UK: “I am incredibly proud of our latest achievement in the UK; thanks to the tireless work of our team and retailer partners, we have smashed yet another sales record. At BYD, our mission is to bring high-tech and high-value cars to our customers, and it’s great to see this resonating with UK buyers. With the addition of SEALION 7, we are confident that more people will continue to choose BYD.”

The all-new BYD SEALION 7 joined the range in March and is already proving popular with customers.

Based on BYD’s e-platform 3.0 and utilising the brand’s innovative Blade Battery, the SEALION 7 combines sporty performance, stylish SUV design, cutting-edge technology and a beautifully finished, spacious cabin.

With an all-electric range of up to 312 miles, the SEALION 7 further extends BYD’s reach in the UK car market.

BYD Shark 6. PHOTO/BYD by Loxea Kenya Facebook.