This post was originally published on Autocar
Confused by all the new cars coming to the UK? Let Autocar guide you through the who, what, where and when
If you’re a regular Autocar reader, you will have noticed a steady stream of updates about new car brands entering the UK market.
This wave of fresh manufacturers can largely be traced back to two main factors: the rapid rise of the Chinese car industry and shifting consumer behaviour.
China is now the world’s largest market for new cars, with some 23.5 million sold there in 2024 alone. It’s no surprise, then, that many Chinese car makers are turning their attention to Europe – including the UK.
While European car makers are still ramping up their electric car offerings ahead of the UK’s 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars, China has long been focused on EVs, and some of the cars coming out of the country are as good as what Europe has to offer. Ten years ago, that was just not the case.
Research suggests that EV buyers are becoming increasingly brand-agnostic, too. Upstarts such as Tesla have demonstrated that a strong EV focus can catapult a young brand to the top of the charts. Indeed, the Tesla Model Y was crowned as the UK’s best-selling EV in 2024.
Keep scrolling to discover the new brands coming to the UK, what models are coming and when you can expect to see them on the roads.
Denza
Nationality Chinese
Parent company BYD
Denza has been around since 2010 and today finds itself marketed as a premium sibling brand of global giant BYD.
It was originally a joint venture with the parent company of Mercedes-Benz but is now entirely BYD-controlled.
Its first car bound for Europe, the Z9 GT (pictured), is a shooting brake that comes as a 925bhp EV or an 858bhp PHEV.
This will be followed by a seven-seat MPV called the D9 shortly after.
An official timeline is yet to be set, but Denza will likely come to the UK at the end of this year or in early 2026.
Firefly
Nationality Chinese
Parent company Nio
Firefly is Chinese EV specialist Nio’s new budget offering.
Its first car for the UK will be a Renault 5 rival that’s priced from as little as £16,000 in China.
The supermini will almost definitely cost more here but could still be one of the cheapest electric cars on the market.
Technical specifications (and therefore power and range) are still to be confirmed, but it’s thought the brand may use Nio’s swappable battery packs.
GAC
Nationality Chinese
Parent company Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group
GAC is perhaps one of the largest car makers you’ve never heard of.
It’s a joint-venture partner of Honda and Toyota owned by the Chinese state, and it’s coming to the UK “very soon” according to COO Thomas Schemera.
The first cars coming to the UK will be the Aion UT (pictured), a hatchback billed as China’s Mini but which is in fact Volkswagen ID 3 sized, and the Aion V crossover, a Model Y rival.
Mobilize
Nationality French
Parent company Renault Group
Renault’s new urban mobility brand is entering the ‘sub-A-segment’ to take on the likes of the Citroën Ami and Micro Microlino electric quadricycles.
The Mobilize Duo (pictured) is very Twizy-like; it would be fair to describe it as the little Renault’s spiritual successor.
Mind you, it has airbags and the big-battery version is apparently good for 100 miles.
A van version, called the Bento, trades the single rear seat for more boot space.
Onvo
Nationality Chinese
Parent company Nio
Onvo was only founded in 2024 but is already pitching itself as a Tesla and Polestar rival.
The Nio-owned company is coming to the UK before the EU because of our lack of import tariffs on Chinese-built EVs.
The L60 will be the first car to hit the UK. Onvo describes it as the most aerodynamically efficient SUV on the market.
It will likely be available with three BYD-supplied battery packs, the largest of which will offer a 620-mile range, according to China’s generous CLTC test cycle.
Yangwang
Nationality Chinese
Parent company BYD
This brand sounds like it’s lifted from a Mitchell and Webb sketch, but its first car heading to the UK is butcher than Terry Butcher.
It’s another prestige brand of BYD, and its largest car, the gargantuan Yangwang U8 SUV, should be en route later this year.
The off-roader can turn on a sixpence thanks to quad motors, can float in water for up to 30 minutes, makes 1180bhp and has a kerb weight of nearly 3500kg.
Oh, and it’s not even an EV but a range-extender with four motors, a 49kWh battery and a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine working as a generator.