The global EV leader is unleashing new electric cars in the industry’s fastest-growing car segments. Despite being excluded from the UK’s new Electric Car Grant, BYD believes it’s still poised to see strong EV sales growth in the region.

BYD expects EV sales growth in Europe and the UK

The UK’s new Electric Car Grant (ECG) offers buyers a discount of up to £3,750 ($5,000) off the price of a new EV.

New electric vehicles are eligible for a grant of £3,750 ($5,000) or £1,500 ($2,000), depending on how sustainable the manufacturing process is.

Since the program takes into account the energy used to produce the vehicle, Chinese automakers, including BYD, have been excluded from the savings. Despite this, the global EV leader believes it’s still poised to see higher demand in the region.

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BYD’s executive vice president, Stella Li, told Autocar that being excluded from the grant won’t slow its rapid EV sales growth in the UK. Instead, Li insisted that the UK’s new electric car grant was “not fair to consumers” as it left Chinese brands out.

In response, BYD introduced its own savings initiative to “reward drivers choosing to go electric.” The company is offering five years of free maintenance on new EV purchases, including the Dolphin Surf, Dolphin, and Atto 3. Approved used BYD vehicles are also eligible.

BYD also increased its battery warranty to eight years and 200,000 km (155,342 miles) across its entire lineup of electric and hybrid (DM-i) vehicles. The warranty includes those who have already purchased a car.

“We understand that customers are looking for more than just savings upfront – they want lasting value and assurance, Steve Beattie, BYD UK’s sales boss, said. Beattie added, “While we may not currently be part of the Electric Car Grant, we didn’t want to wait to show our commitment.”

With a series of new electric vehicles rolling out, BYD will cover nearly all segments, including entry-level, midsize crossover SUVs, luxury, and more.

The Dolphin Surf, BYD’s cheapest electric car, starts at just 18,650 GBP ($25,000 in the UK). Even without the grant, it’s still one of the most affordable EVs on the market.

According to Autocar, it’s the fifth cheapest electric car in the country, following the Citroën Ami, Leapmotor T03, Dacia Spring, and Micro Microlino. The Dolphin Surf is more affordable than the Hyundai Inster and Ford Puma-e, even without the savings.

Electrek’s Take

Although the Dolphin Surf is expected to see strong demand, it’s only one model in BYD’s seemingly ever-expanding EV lineup.

BYD also offers the Dolphin and Atto 3, some of its top-selling models globally. Earlier this year, it launched the Sealion 7, a midsize electric SUV set to go head-to-head with the Tesla Model Y and the smaller Atto 2. And then there’s the Seal U DM-i, BYD’s first plug-in hybrid in the UK.

Through the first eight months of 2025, BYD has sold nearly 25,000 vehicles in the UK, a drastic increase from the just over 4,100 cars it sold in the same period last year.

BYD is already outselling major brands like Honda and Mazda, and it’s closing in on Tesla, which has sold 26,951 vehicles in the UK through August.

With several more in the pipeline, BYD is poised to see higher EV sales growth over the next few months/years, with or without government support.

A Tesla owner admitted on video that he drives drunk on Full Self-Driving (FSD) – showing that Tesla doesn’t do enough to prevent abuse of its driver assist system.

29-year-old social media personality Landon Bridges went on comedian Bert Kreischer’s cooking show ‘Something’s Burning’ this week.

During the show, they were drinking, and Bridges admitted to being drunk. While visibly intoxicated, he accepted another drink from Kreischeir and then added:

“You know what’s the biggest game changer for me in 2025? I bought a Tesla, and it has Autopilot.”

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He then looked at Kreischer suggestively – hinting that you can use it when drunk.

Kreischer responded: “Does it work like that?” – suggesting that it is good enough to use while intoxicated – and then said in a drunk voice: “Tesla, take me home.”

The only answer here would be: “No, it’s a driver assistance system and the driver is always responsible for the vehicle and therefore, they can’t be intoxicated to supervise the system.”

Instead, Bridges said:

Yeah. That’s the problem. That’s literally the problem. I’ll go after it. I’ll press the home button (in the navigation system), and as long as you look forward, you are home.

He then suggested that Kreisher, known for his heavy drinking, should consider getting a Tesla with Full Self-Driving.

Here’s the part of the episode where they have the conversation:

Electrek’s Take

This is wild. He openly admits to a potential felony on a YouTube show. The way he is thinking proves that Tesla is not doing enough to communicate to its owners that FSD is not a self-driving system, but rather a driver assistance system that requires the driver’s full attention, meaning sober, at all times.

He says “Autopilot”, but the way he describes the system points to it being “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)” as Autopilot wouldn’t be able to take you through surface streets to take you home.

Tesla has been extremely careless in how it discusses its system publicly.

For example, Tesla recently tweeted that “FSD Supervised gives you back time”:

This suggests that you can do something else while driving, but this is not true based on the automaker’s own warnings and owner’s manual. The driver needs to be paying attention to the vehicle’s driving at all times and be ready to take control.

It is a direct contrast to how Tesla discusses FSD in court after being sued over the numerous accidents involving Autopilot and Full Self-Driving.

In court, Tesla is quick to remind everyone that the driver is always responsible for the vehicle and that, despite its name, Full Self-Driving is only a level 2 driver assistance system, not a level 3-5 automated driving system.

Tesla needs to bring that same energy to its communications with buyers. Otherwise, it contributes to these morons thinking that they can use FSD drunk.

I hope Bridges realizes the carelessness and the danger of his behavior and suggests that others, like Kreischer, should do it.

But it wouldn’t be the first time a Tesla owner would think it OK to use FSD while drunk. We even learned of a crash in 2022 where a Tesla employee decided to use FSD, according to a witness, after day drinking, and his drive ended in a crash, leaving him dead.

It may be small, but Honda’s new EV offers “class-leading” range and more interior space than you’d expect. Honda introduced the N-ONE e on Thursday, its first electric kei car, with prices starting at just over $18,000.

Honda launches the N-ONE e, an $18,000 mini EV

It’s pretty rare to find any vehicle, let alone an all-electric one, for under $20,000 these days. In the US, the average asking price for a new car was nearly $52,000 last month.

While some of the biggest names in the auto industry, including Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia, Ford, and GM, to name a few, are gearing up to launch more affordable EVs, Honda just got a head of the game.

Honda introduced the N-ONE e on Thursday, its first electric kei car. The N-ONE e is Honda’s second mini-EV, following the N-VAN e, launched last year. However, unlike the van, Honda’s new model is designed for passenger use rather than commercial.

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The new EV will go on sale in Japan on September 12, priced from just ¥2.7 million ($18,300). It’s based on the current gas-powered N-ONE, Honda’s retro-looking kei car sold in Japan.

Powered by the same 29.6 kWh battery as its electric van, Honda said the N-ONE e delivers “class-leading range” of up to 295 km (183 miles). That’s even more than the Nissan Sakura, Japan’s best-selling electric car with a WLTP range of up to 180 km (112 miles).

Although it may not seem like much with most EVs offering over 300 miles of range nowadays, it’s perfect for daily commutes in Japan.

Honda said the biggest challenge was ensuring it had enough space to make it fit for everyday use. To open up the interior, the company developed a thinner battery pack that lies flat beneath the floor.

It already has the most popular kei car and best-selling vehicle in Japan, the N-Box, but Honda believes its new EV could be an even bigger hit.

Mini EVs account for about 40% of new car sales in Japan. With more range, interior space, and more, Honda is betting on its small new EV to stay ahead of the competition. Honda expects the market to heat up with rival brands, including global EV leader BYD, Toyota and others, preparing to launch mini-EVs soon.