BYD has delivered its 100,000th car in Australia, lower than three and a half years after being formally launched right here in November 2022.
That’s lower than half the gross sales quantity achieved final yr by Toyota, which has bought greater than 200,000 autos yearly (the one model to take action) for 14 consecutive years and has been the Australian market chief for 23 consecutive years.
However, BYD’s fast rise within the Australian market in such a brief time frame has been nothing wanting meteoric.
In 2025, its third full yr on sale right here, BYD hit the highest 10 by putting eighth total in Australia’s new-car gross sales race with 52,415 autos bought – up 156.2 per cent on 2024 – thanks largely to the recognition of fashions together with the plug-in hybrid Shark 6 ute and Sealion 7 mid-size electrical SUV.
CarExpert can prevent hundreds on a brand new automotive. Click on right here to get an awesome deal.
And final month BYD positioned third for the primary time in a single month with 7217 gross sales, ending behind solely Toyota (16,574) and Kia (7320), however forward of Mazda (7156) and Ford (7149), surging previous fellow Chinese language manufacturers together with GWM (5680), MG (4218) and Chery (4018).
BYD’s gross sales spike final month was partly attributable to elevated demand for electrical autos (EVs) amid the gas provide disaster created by struggle within the Center East, main it to triple its cargo volumes to Australia with 30,000 autos now attributable to arrive right here throughout Might and June.
The corporate says important further manufacturing can also be anticipated within the third quarter of this yr.
In the present day BYD stated it could prioritise supply of its “new vitality” autos to important employees who depend on mobility to serve their communities – together with docs, nurses, lecturers, social employees, police, hearth, ambulance and SES volunteers – amid cost-of-living challenges and “throughout this era of unprecedented demand for electrical and ultra-efficient hybrid autos”.
“Finally, we wish to minimise wait instances for all prospects, as a result of everyone seems to be feeling the pinch. The 30,000 autos arriving by June will go a protracted option to serving to,” stated BYD Australia chief working officer Stephen Collins.
“We are going to work intently with our nationwide supplier community to offer precedence entry – not exclusivity – for these delivering crucial providers to the group, whereas sustaining availability for the broader public.”
BYD Australia stated it’ll supervise the precedence course of for important employees, that are broadly outlined as these whose work is important to make sure public security, well being, welfare or the functioning of society, with eligibility verified by way of customary employment documentation, and “auditing in place to make sure integrity and consistency”.
BYD’s ongoing gross sales increase has additionally been spurred by an onslaught of recent mannequin launches, which can quickly deliver the variety of fashions in its vary to 13.
The Chinese language model was launched in late 2022 with the Atto 3 small/medium electrical SUV, which has since been joined by its top-selling Shark 6 ute, the Atto 1 mild electrical hatch, Dolphin small electrical hatch, Atto 2 small electrical SUV, Seal mid-size electrical sedan, the Sealion 5 and 6 mid-size plug-in hybrid SUVs, the Sealion 7 mid-size electrical SUV, and the Sealion 8 massive plug-in hybrid SUV.
To this point in 2026 the Sealion 7 is Australia’s second hottest EV behind the Tesla Mannequin Y, and the Shark 6 is the fifth-best promoting ute behind the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux, Mitsubishi Triton and Isuzu D-Max.
BYD says the Shark 6 can also be this nation’s top-selling pickup and plug-in hybrid amongst personal patrons.
Whereas Toyota nonetheless has many extra fashions in its lineup, one other 4 new BYD fashions have been confirmed for launch within the second and third quarters of 2026, together with the Seal 6 mid-size plug-in hybrid sedan and wagon, and the Shark 6 Dynamic cab/chassis and Shark 6 Efficiency flagship with 3500kg towing capability.
Within the first three months of this yr, BYD Australia delivered 17,541 autos (up 9.9 per cent on the identical interval in 2025), placing it on observe to promote about 70,000 autos in 2026 – a determine which final yr would have eclipsed all manufacturers besides Toyota (239,863), Ford (94,399), Mazda (91,923), Kia (82,105) and Hyundai (77,208).
Certainly, in October 2025 Mr Collins instructed media that BYD’s Australian market ambition is “undoubtedly [to] be near the highest three” this yr.
And with a jam-packed pipeline of different future fashions deliberate, BYD’s former impartial distributor EVDirect, which was changed by a factory-owned operation mid-2025, even predicted BYD would topple Toyota as Australian market chief by 2030.
The 100,000th BYD car bought in Australia was a blue Shark 6, which was introduced to buyer Tim Shaw by BYD Common Supervisor Asia Pacific, Liu Xueliang, in Brisbane earlier this month, a bit of over 12 months after it celebrated its 40,000th sale in March 2025.
“The expansion of BYD Australia over the past three and a half years has been outstanding,” stated Mr Collins in a press launch yesterday.
“Australian motorists need trendy, sensible and reasonably priced new vitality autos, now greater than ever. It’s our pleasure at hand over our 100,000th car at this time.
“With over 100 gross sales and repair centres round Australia, and rising, we’re proud to be constructing a nationwide community that may assist all BYD homeowners. We’ve thrilling plans for continued development in Australia.”
After all, BYD additionally has its luxurious model Denza – a direct rival for the likes of Toyota’s Lexus premium model – which is aiming to be amongst Australia’s 5 prime status gamers this yr.
BMW was the primary luxurious model right here final yr with 26,852 gross sales, forward of Mercedes-Benz (22,850), Audi (16,014), Lexus (14,561) and Land Rover (8339).
The Denza model was launched Down Below in late 2025 with the big B5 and B8 plug-in hybrid off-road SUVs, which had been just lately adopted by the D9 electrical folks mover, with the Z9 GT electrical super-wagon to affix the vary within the fourth quarter of this yr.
