As the UK continues to debate whether to impose a tariff on Chinese-made cars, a motoring expert has predicted that one brand could soon overtake Tesla in sales.

All-electric vehicles represented 41.5 per cent of BYD total sales with 1.7m BEVs sold and hybrids securing the rest. Vying with BYD is Tesla, which will reveal its 2024 sales figures in the first quarter of 2025. Tesla delivered 1.8m pure-EVs in 2023, though the American firm was 2.3 per cent down on this figure after nine months in 2024.

BYD is closing in on Tesla after a record December closed off a good 2024 for the Chinese EV giant. The company sold 4.25 million new energy passenger vehicles last year, according to data released on Wednesday.