China is the world’s leading producer of EVs, and while its manufacturers remain largely shut out of the major car market in the United States, they are benefiting from rising interest and orders through dealerships across Asia and other regions.

BYD, which overtook Tesla as the world’s largest seller of electric vehicles last year, is at the centre of this shift. The company is expanding aggressively overseas. “We survive and are successful without the US market today,” BYD executive vice president Stella Li told BBC at the Beijing Auto Show.

Instead of targeting US customers, the company says its main challenge is meeting growing demand in other regions, including Brazil, the United Kingdom, and across Europe.

“Consumers feel the daily savings when oil prices rise. EVs help them save money every day,” Li said. “Actually, we are now facing insufficient capacity. Our demand is much higher than what we can supply.”

BYD is betting on its new “flash charging” technology, which Li describes as a “game-changer,” to overcome one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption: concerns over charging speed. The technology can add hundreds of kilometres of range in minutes—a development Li says could persuade previously reluctant customers to consider EVs and allow BYD to compete more broadly.

At this year’s Beijing Auto Show—now the largest automotive industry event in the world—more than 1,400 vehicles from hundreds of Chinese and international companies were on display, with Chinese carmakers taking centre stage.

However, BYD’s global expansion is unfolding against a complex geopolitical backdrop. Chinese EV manufacturers face tariffs and regulatory scrutiny in global markets, particularly in the United States, the world’s largest consumer market.

The US government has criticised Chinese state subsidies and raised concerns over data protection and national security. Despite this, Li said the company is gaining stronger brand recognition in other markets, including the United Kingdom. (BBC)