Quick answer
Loxea Kenya sold the first five BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid pickups within two weeks of launch and placed a replenishment order, as BYD sold a record 9,271 cars in the UK in Q1 2025.
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The first shipment of BYD Shark 6 pickups to Kenya has sold out barely two weeks after the plug-in hybrid was launched, according to local distributor Loxea Kenya, as the Chinese carmaker also posted record sales in the United Kingdom.
Loxea Kenya, a subsidiary of CFAO Mobility Kenya, said all of the first five units, which were shipped in September, had been bought, and that it had placed a replenishment order to meet growing demand.
Waiting list growing for the Shark 6
“BYD vehicles are proving to be very popular models among discerning local clients in Kenya and beyond, seeking quality mobility solutions. Barely two weeks into the launch of the BYD SHARK 6, we have successfully sold the first five units shipped last month,” said Loxea Kenya managing director Jennifer Kinyoe.
“We have placed follow-up orders and the pre-order list is growing fast, as we expect to deliver more BYD SHARK 6 vehicles to clients on the waiting list by the end of the year,” she said.
The Shark 6 is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), which combines a petrol engine with a battery that can be charged from the grid. Kinyoe said plug-in hybrids are becoming a popular choice for Kenyan buyers as charging points and after-sales service networks expand around the country.
The pickup was launched in Kenya in late September 2025. Loxea, which distributes BYD vehicles locally under the CFAO Mobility group, did not say how many units the next shipment will carry or when exactly it will land, but said deliveries to customers on the waiting list should happen before the end of the year.
Loxea also said BYD’s Sealion 6 has been selling steadily in Kenya, with five units already delivered to clients and another five on the way.
Record quarter in the UK
BYD’s Kenyan launch came as the company reported its best quarter yet in the UK, where it sold 9,271 cars in the first three months of 2025. That is more than it sold in the whole of 2024 and its strongest quarter since it began selling passenger cars in Britain in March 2023.
The surge lifted BYD’s UK market share to 1.6%, from 0.45% in 2024, and to 1.8% in March alone. The Seal U DM-i plug-in hybrid was the best-selling model in the UK’s plug-in hybrid segment with 3,975 units, while the all-electric Seal was the seventh best-selling electric car with 2,521 units.
Key figures at a glance
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| First BYD Shark 6 units shipped to Kenya | 5, all sold within about two weeks of launch |
| BYD Sealion 6 units delivered in Kenya | 5, with 5 more being shipped |
| BYD UK sales, January to March 2025 | 9,271 cars |
| BYD UK market share | 1.6% in Q1 2025, up from 0.45% in 2024 |
| Best-selling BYD model in the UK | Seal U DM-i, 3,975 units |
What it means for Kenyan buyers
The quick sell-out of the first batch, though small at five vehicles, points to interest among Kenyan motorists in plug-in hybrid pickups, which let owners drive short distances on battery power and switch to petrol for longer trips upcountry. Buyers interested in the Shark 6 will have to join Loxea’s pre-order list for the next shipments, which the company expects to deliver by the end of the year.
Anyone planning to buy a new or imported vehicle can estimate monthly repayments with our car loan calculator. If you are importing a car yourself, our KRA car import duty calculator and guide on how to import a car to Kenya explain the taxes involved.
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