China car giant BYD says it can thrive without access to US market

With the price of fuel rising China's BYD says it is positioning itself to benefit from the global shift away from fossil fuels.

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China is the world's top producer of EVs, and while its manufacturers remain largely shut out of the major car market of the United States, they are benefiting from an uptick in interest and orders via dealerships across Asia and elsewhere.

BYD, which overtook Tesla as the world's largest seller of electric vehicles last year and is expanding aggressively overseas, is at the centre of this shift in focus.

"We survive and are successful without the US market today," BYD executive vice president Stella Li told the BBC at the Beijing Auto Show.

Instead of aiming for US customers, the company says its challenge is meeting increased demand in other regions, including Brazil, the UK and Europe.