BYD Atto 3 was Sweden’s best-selling electric vehicle in July

FRANKFURT: BYD Co.’s Atto 3 was the best-selling electric vehicle in Sweden in July, a boon for the Chinese manufacturer’s nascent push into the European market.

The manufacturer sold 721 units of the crossover sport utility vehicle, trumping Volkswagen AG’s ID.4, according to data from the Mobility Sweden Automotive Association.

BYD, which dethroned VW as China’s top-selling automaker this year, is trying to expand in Europe as the region is shifting away from the combustion engine.

Its sales offensive is one of several by Chinese manufacturers, intensifying competition in an already-fragmented market.

When looking at registrations for all drivetrains, Volvo Car AB’s XC60 narrowly beat out the Atto 3, which retails for around 445,000 Swedish kronor (RM192,000).

Tesla Inc.’s Model Y remains the best-selling overall automobile in Sweden after the first seven months of this year, ahead of two Volvo Car models.

BYD has been expanding its model lineup, geographic footprint and manufacturing capacity rapidly in the last two years, challenging Tesla’s plug-in dominance.

When counting both EVs and plug-in hybrid models, BYD already is No. 1 globally.