Few brands could claim to be as disruptive to Australia’s new-car market as BYD, with the marque surpassing 60,000 deliveries in the shortest amount of time of its Chinese rivals.
BYD made its 60,000th delivery to an Australian motorist this month, with global chairman and President Wang Chuanfu on hand to give Victorian customer Owain Norman his BYD Sealion 7.
While BYD had a minor presence in Australia in the late 2010s and early 2020s through Carbridge and Nexport, it wasn’t until June 2022 that it began deliveries in earnest with the Atto 3, distributed by EVDirect.
Despite its humble early beginnings – which saw the brand wait a full year until launching its next vehicle, the Dolphin, and until the end of 2023 to roll out the Seal – BYD has recently been on a rapid trajectory up the sales charts, thanks to the plug-in hybrid Shark 6 ute and Sealion 6 SUV, plus the electric Sealion 7 SUV.
Its milestone of reaching 60,000 deliveries took just 37 months, far quicker than any other Chinese brand, according to data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI). The feat also came in the same month BYD Automotive wholly took over its Australian operations.
MG returned to Australia in February 2017 after being bought by Chinese giant SAIC in the late 2000s, and delivered its 60,000th vehicle since the rebirth in November 2021, a total of 57 months.
Likewise, it took LDV from October 2014 to February 2023 (100 months) to reach the same milestone, while Great Wall and the rebranded GWM had to wait 146 months from July 2009 to September 2021 to achieve 60,000 deliveries.
While its rivals have largely settled down, BYD continues to increase its deliveries and take records in Australia.
Last month, it was the first Chinese carmaker to record a top five monthly sales result in Australia, delivering 8156 vehicles to customers in June 2025. The previous highest-placed Chinese brand was MG, which in May 2023 took sixth with 4828 deliveries.
GWM continues to lead BYD on both the monthly and year-to-date sales charts – sitting seventh and eighth respectively – however the latter’s half-year total has put it ahead of MG, which has more models on sale at mostly lower price points.
“Australia is a key market for the BYD brand,” Chuanfu said.
“It’s a highly competitive, advanced automotive market with an educated customer that values innovation, safety, and sustainability. Success here is a signal to the world that BYD vehicles can meet and exceed the expectations of mature markets. The learnings we gain from Australia help shape our products and approach globally.”
It’s worth noting that unlike its Chinese rivals, BYD exclusively sells EVs and PHEVs, with no petrol- or diesel-only models in its lineup.
BYD might not limit itself to its core brand either, with the firm currently undertaking a travelling roadshow of sorts with vehicles from its Denza (D9 and Z9 GT), FangChengBao (B5 and B8) and Yangwang (with the U9 SUV) subsidiaries also taking part.
Discussion about this post