🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

BYD’s UK gains amid discounting and Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate pressure

• BYD’s UK registrations reached more than 51,000 in 2025, and Chinese brands added about 110,000 units while established non-Chinese carmakers lost over 40,000 sales amid discounting. 1
• The £10,000–£20,000 used EV price band grew fastest in October 2025, with three-year-old Tesla Model 3s often under £20,000, sometimes £15,000. 2
• Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 led EV sales in the UK in 2025. 3
• The UK’s EV share hit 23.4% in 2025 and missed the 28% mandate. The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), a UK-based think tank, says flexibilities likely spared the industry from fines. 4

Used EV residual value analytics create opportunities for leasing and insurance providers

• Three-year-old EV values fell 57% over 21 months compared with 12% for petrol cars. Values have leveled near parity with Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars and this leaves UK fleets unsure on lease returns and residual values (the expected resale price at lease end). 5
• Used EV values rose 2.9% in October 2025 and added about £600 per vehicle. Nissan Leaf prices climbed 10% and Tesla Model 3 rose 7.8%, which signals choppy pricing that needs better forecasting. 2
• Firms building residual value models can serve UK lessors. Some EVs like the Hyundai Kona hold value while others like the Vauxhall Corsa EV trail their ICE equivalents. 5
• With Chinese EVs at about 9.7% of new UK registrations in 2025, UK insurers and lenders need accurate total cost of ownership (TCO) benchmarks to price policies and loans. 4