The UK's first Chinese car UK brand casualty? Skywell is looking at the exit

Chinese car maker Skywell’s future in the UK is on shaky ground after its importer, Innovation Automotive, suddenly shut down and the brand has yet to find a replacement. 

Skywell arrived in the UK in late 2024, and has only launched one model so far – the BE11 electric SUV. We found it falls short of most rivals in several areas and it hasn’t been a sales sensation, with just 31 examples sold in the UK in 2025.  

Skywell had planned to have 50 dealers by the end of 2025, but at the time of writing there are just 16, which are now all in limbo after Innovation Automotive closed its doors. 

David Clark, who was Skywell’s general manager in the UK, told Auto Express: “The closure of Innovation Automotive is in no way a reflection upon Skywell”, which is apparently now seeking an alternative distributor for the UK market.

He promised that all the brand’s dealers in the UK had been notified of the importer’s closure. To reassure anyone who brought a BE11, Clark said Innovation Automotive is hoping to pass along its significant stocks of parts for the car to the brand’s new distributor “in the coming weeks”. 

He added: “The expectation is that the warranty administration will also transfer to a new party, so that ongoing support can be offered to UK owners. Whilst the terms of these agreements haven’t been finalised yet, I hope to be able to confirm this shortly.”

All remaining new vehicle stock was purchased and registered by V12 Sports and Classics in June. Its website is currently offering low-mileage examples of the Skywell BE11, which were originally priced from £31,955 when new, for as little as £14,495.  

Innovation Automotive’s closure was attributed to its owners being unable to provide the continual and significant investment needed to be competitive in the UK market. 

Auto Express reached out to Skywell and its owner, the Skyworth Group, for a comment about the brand’s future in the UK. However, at the time of publication, we’ve yet to receive a response. 

Should Skywell be unable to find a new distributor, it could be the first of the wave of new Chinese car brands to come to the UK in recent years to leave. Many – such as BYD, MG and Chery – feel like they’re here to stay now, but there are others, including Great Wall Motors and Maxus, that have made nearly no impact here.   

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