Important update – July 2026
Skywell’s UK importer, Innovation Automotive, has ceased operations, which means new-car sales of the Skywell BE11 are currently on hold while the brand looks for a new UK distributor.
At this stage, warranty, servicing and parts arrangements for existing Skywell BE11 owners have not yet been confirmed. We are updating this page on an interim basis and will provide further details as soon as the position becomes clearer.
Summary
The Skywell BE11 was a mid-size electric SUV and the first model launched by the Chinese brand in the UK. It arrived with generous standard equipment, a spacious interior and a long warranty package, but UK media reviews were consistently poor and the car struggled to match the standards expected in a crowded electric SUV market.
The BE11 is no longer available as a new car in the UK after Skywell’s UK importer, Innovation Automotive, ceased operations. The company registered its remaining stock in June 2026, meaning those cars are expected to be sold off as used or pre-registered vehicles while Skywell looked for a new UK distributor.
Before this development, the BE11 had already been one of the lowest-rated cars in our Expert Rating Index. Our reviewer, Andrew Charman, drove the BE11 here in the UK and described it as “a car that underestimates the UK market”, noting that while it offered plenty of equipment, it was hampered by frustrating infotainment, unconvincing driving dynamics and an out-of-date safety specification.
Other motoring publications reached similarly critical conclusions. In areas such as refinement, ride quality, technology integration and overall polish, the BE11 consistently fell short of direct competitors, many of which offered a more complete ownership package at a similar price.
The BE11 has not been assessed by Euro NCAP (and probably won’t be in the future), so we can’t rate its safety credentials – including occupant protection and driver assistance systems – in an emergency situation.
As of July 2026, the BE11 holds a Used Car Expert Rating of D, with a score of 56%. Buyers should treat that score with caution while Skywell’s UK future remains unresolved. The car’s seven-year warranty package had previously looked like one of its stronger selling points, but warranty administration and aftersales support have not yet been confirmed following the collapse of the UK importer.
Until Skywell appoints a new UK distributor and confirms how existing and future customers will be supported, we would not recommend buying a Skywell BE11 without getting written confirmation of warranty cover, servicing arrangements and parts availability.
Stuart’s view:
“The Skywell BE11 was already difficult to recommend when it was available as a new car. It entered one of the most competitive parts of the market with generous equipment and a long warranty, but the car itself fell well short of established rivals in too many important areas.
“Now that the BE11 is effectively a used-only proposition, the ownership risk is more serious. At this stage, we do not yet know who will be responsible for warranty claims, servicing support or parts supply in the UK. That may be resolved if Skywell appoints a new distributor, but buyers should not assume that everything will continue as normal until those arrangements are confirmed.
“Anyone considering a used or pre-registered BE11 should be cautious. A cheap price may look tempting, but it needs to be weighed against uncertainty over warranty cover, servicing, parts and future resale value. Until Skywell’s UK aftersales position is confirmed in writing, there are safer electric SUV choices available.”
BE11 highlights
- Well-equipped as standard
- Spacious family-friendly interior
- Competitive electric driving range
BE11 lowlights
- Skywell’s UK importer has ceased operations
- Frustrating infotainment
- Lacking the safety kit offered by rivals
- Spongy throttle response and numb steering
- Can only charge at speeds up to 80kW
Key specifications
Body style: medium SUV
Engines: electric
Price when new: From £31,990
Launched: Winter 2024/25
Updated: Winter 2025/26
Discontinued: Summer 2026
Image gallery
Media reviews
Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Featured reviews
“The Skywell BE11 enters a crowded electric SUV market with strong equipment levels and sharp pricing, but it’s simply not very good to drive and lacks the polish of better rivals.”
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 5.2 / 10
Read full review
The Car Expert
Andrew Charman
“The Skywell BE11 has plenty of rear legroom – but major shortcomings in the way it drives, build quality, efficiency, price and safety mean it’s impossible to recommend.”
Score: 3 / 10
Read full review
Carwow
Tom Wiltshire
More reviews
Auto Express
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“The Skywell BE11 holds price and practicality amongst its merits, but lags behind its rivals in too many key areas.”
Author: Gavin Braithwaite-Smith
Read review
Auto Trader
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 4 / 10
“As it stands there’s just too much about the BE11’s software and general driving experience that’s infuriating. But, as with so many electric cars these days, it might be a mere over-the-air update away from being a genuinely decent left-field family EV. Here’s hoping.”
Author: Mark Nicol
Read review
Business Car
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 5 / 10
“Electric SUV from UK market newcomer is cheap to buy for its size, but flawed.”
Author: Sean Keywood
Read review
Car
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 4 / 10
“Beneath a thin veneer of style, it felt quite cheap and tacky in places. The design isn’t interesting nor alluring, and it simply doesn’t stir the soul like you’d want a new car to do.”
Author: Seth Walton
Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6.6 / 10
“Electric SUV that hopes to attract buyers with its space, equipment and warranty, but it falls some way short on quality or driving appeal.”
Author: Alisdair Suttle, Alex Ingram
Read review
Company Car and Van
Model reviewed: 2026 facelift range
Score: 6 / 10
“On paper, the updated Skywell BE11 is an attractively priced C-sector SUV offering loads of standard equipment, plenty of space, with decent driving ranges. Updates to the safety, tech and infotainment have definitely improved it, but it’s only ever going to be as good as a BEV SUV can be and that is across the board distinctly average.”
Author: Andrew Walker
Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 5 / 10
“There’s no denying that it’s fantastic value for money, undercutting every similarly-specced rivals by a big margin – though lower-spec versions of better cars are available for similar money.”
Author: Graham King
Read review
The Telegraph
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 4 / 10
“This unknown electric SUV from China excels in certain areas but falls short of mainstream European-produced cars in several others.”
Author: Ed Wiseman
Read review
The Times
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 2 / 10
“Have a look at the BE11 by all means, out of curiosity more than anything else, but whatever you do, don’t buy one. Literally every other electric SUV option in this class is better.”
Author: Matt Robinson
Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 3 / 10
“Overpriced and under-talented. Please buy something – anything – other than this.”
Author: Joe Holding
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
No safety rating
As of July 2026, the Skywell BE11 has not been assessed by Euro NCAP. Given that the car has been withdrawn from UK sales and is only sold in small numbers in continental Europe, it’s unlikely to be a priority candidate for Euro NCAP testing.
A similar model was tested by Euro NCAP’s Chinese partner, C-NCAP, in 2023 and performed very poorly. Although there were changes made for UK and European sale, it would likely perform even more poorly in Euro NCAP’s rougher testing regime.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of July 2026, the Skywell BE11 has not been assessed by Green NCAP.
The Green NCAP programme measures exhaust pollution (which is zero for an electric car) and energy efficiency. Electric cars are much more energy-efficient than combustion cars, so the BE11 is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing if it takes place. Check back again soon.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
| Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 276 miles | B |
| Electrical efficiency | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 3.5 m/KWh | D |
| Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| All models | 43 | E |
The Skywell BE11’s running cost data looks reasonable on paper, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
The electric SUV’s average battery range of 276 miles is competitive for its size and price. However, it is not the most efficient electric car in its class, and our data suggests that it sits in a fairly high insurance group.
These numbers should also be viewed alongside the current uncertainty around Skywell’s UK operations. Servicing and parts availability (as well as future resale values) may all be affected if Skywell’s UK distributor arrangements are not resolved quickly.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of July 2026, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Skywell BE11 to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.
As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the BE11, we’ll publish the results here.
Warranty rating
New car warranty information for the Skywell BE11
| Overall rating | A | 99% |
| New car warranty duration | 7 years |
| New car warranty mileage | 100,000 miles |
| Battery warranty duration | 8 years |
| Battery warranty mileage | 155,000 miles |
Important note: The Skywell BE11 was launched with a seven-year new car warranty, but Skywell’s UK importer has since ceased operations. Warranty administration and aftersales support have not yet been confirmed, so buyers should check the latest position before committing to a car.
Skywell’s new car warranty is better than average, and better than most rival brands in a similar price bracket as the BE11.
The duration is seven years, with a limit of 100,000 miles. In addition, there’s an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components.
Warranty on a used Skywell BE11
- As of July 2026, any Skywell BE11 should still be covered by its new car warranty, unless it has already reached the 100,000-mile limit (which is highly unlikely). However, the validity of Skywell’s warranty offering is currently unknown until the company appoints new UK representation.
If you’re looking to buy any used car that is approaching the end of its warranty period, a used car warranty is usually a worthwhile investment. Check out The Car Expert’s guide to the best used car warranty providers, which will probably be cheaper than a warranty sold by a dealer.
Recalls
Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Skywell BE11
As of July 2026, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Skywell BE11. However, this information is updated very regularly so this may have changed.
You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local BE11 dealer.
Skywell BE11 owners should also keep records of any warranty or servicing correspondence while the brand’s UK aftersales arrangements are being clarified.
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Skywell BE11, you might also be interested in these alternatives
BYD Atto 3 | Ford Explorer | Geely EX5 | KGM Torres EVX | Kia EV5 | Leapmotor C10 | Nissan Ariya | Skoda Enyaq | Subaru Solterra | Tesla Model Y | Toyota bZ4X | Volkswagen ID.4
More information
More news, reviews and information about the Skywell range at The Car Expert
Buy a Skywell BE11
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