Chinese manufacturing giant has reached a new milestone as it continues its rapid expansion across the UK.

BYD has opened its 100th franchised car sales site in the UK as it continues to embark on its "unprecedented growth journey".

Despite opening its first UK retailer in April 2023, BYD has expanded rapidly and has now unveiled its 100th dealership, continuing to develop its foothold in the UK market.

The brand, which is the world's leading manufacturer of "new energy vehicles", which comprises of battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, is one of the fastest-growing automakers in the UK.

The brand has been strategic in its rollout, headlined by new openings of retailers in key towns and cities including Canterbury, Chichester, Croydon, Ipswich and St Albans.

This means that BYD now has an average drive time of less than 30 minutes across almost all of the UK.

BYD said this was necessary to ensure new and potential customers could speak with experts and test drive the latest models.

At present, BYD advertise a range of models on its UK website, including the Dolphin, Dolphin Surf, Atto 2, Atto 3, Seal, Sealion 7, as well as the Seal U DM-i hybrid.

BYD has reached a milestone of opening 100 retailers across the UK

The Dolphin Surf supermini is one of the cheapest electric vehicles on the market in the UK at the affordable price point of just £18,650 for the Active version and £21,950 for the Boost variant.

Steve Beattie, sales and network director at BYD UK, said he was "hugely proud" to see the rapid expansion of the brand's retailer network grow, describing it as a "remarkable milestone".

He added: "It's a testament to the appeal of our cars and their cutting-edge levels of technology, such as our Super Hybrid DM-i cars, including the high-selling Seal-U SUV and electric cars such as the award-winning Dolphin Surf supermini.

"It's also proof of the strength of the relationships with our retailer partners and their hard work and dedication in driving the brand forwards, ensuring that our BYD cars are seen up and down the country in ever-increasing numbers."

BYD has quickly become a household name across the UK thanks to its impressive lineup of vehicles for affordable prices and its successful advertising campaign.

The BYD logo could be seen emblazoned across TV screens during the European Championships last summer, as well as regular TV adverts.

As a result, BYD has become one of the UK's most popular car brands, just a few years after launching in the UK as a relative unknown to many drivers.

According to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), BYD has already sold 24,333 new cars so far this year.

BYD advertisements were seen throughout the Euros | PA

This represents an impressive 1.92 per cent of the total market share and a staggering 492 per cent growth in sales compared to the same time last year.

BYD is already outselling traditional staples on the UK roads, including Citroen (11,490), Fiat (6,766), Honda (15,585), Mazda (21,344) and Seat (14,886).

The Shenzhen-based manufacturer is crucially only 2,618 new registrations behind electric vehicle giant Tesla as it looks to position itself as a global leader in new energy vehicles.

BYD could see a major sales boost in September as drivers look to get their hands on the latest models with the new "75" number plate.