BYD Faces Double Attack: $7,771 Cars and Emissions Scandal

[{"selector":"#anim-6cc8b04a-3698-4792-9098-e0647fa8ae70","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-17f08aa4-ec7a-4a5b-adab-401c8b504620","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bed72fca-1295-4ce7-a420-c00c39b6d207","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b05259b0-a78b-41c3-9d37-28864240cd07","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] BYD Faces Double Attack: $7,771 Cars and Emissions Scandal Sunita Somvanshi

China's EV giants are at war, and it's getting ugly - with accusations flying about cheating on emissions tests while slashing prices to dangerous lows.

[{"selector":"#anim-16fbf503-a19d-42c4-bf40-e1c718274bd8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a1448e32-8ccc-4e8a-b7d3-fbafa3f64bf5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-21e17d36-b601-4811-88c0-04392f011557","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-66175324-4adf-436e-88c3-3487771fe852","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-78899a94-6e1b-46e6-953b-a144d793342b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Great Wall Motor dropped a bombshell in 2023, reporting market leader BYD to regulators for allegedly failing emissions standards on their best-selling hybrids.

[{"selector":"#anim-21fdc1d6-8a77-49d5-822c-2ce7bbc1a46f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7346bc9a-55ac-4c5f-a720-ec02efb94a75","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.7807%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bc2dd33e-17e1-442b-b235-6845225f3b78","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a0048690-2c4c-4075-a624-1fdf2d995906","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bc43b4bf-d516-4860-a64c-2a36c24a18cd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The plot thickened when Geely publicly backed Great Wall's claims, calling their chairman "our industry's whistleblower" at a major auto conference.

[{"selector":"#anim-7668d425-fefa-4a66-9bc3-9f8604920504","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f87c8951-e42e-4196-abfe-f557d8cbdffe","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-af4e8781-f72a-42d5-8d45-42f90eb67897","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0fdd1dab-f296-4387-9dfb-d7fc4b84ca15","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-95b1f72d-7690-4b36-a5ec-04d125874cd7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

At the center of controversy: BYD's non-pressurized fuel tanks that allegedly let fuel evaporate faster than legal limits allow.

[{"selector":"#anim-d7865451-7251-4191-8ac6-868916b0973a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8d4d3486-b8a4-4dbc-b6c2-2d7e16a03590","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.04866%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c18c8193-1150-4625-9300-642776988cae","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eba50a5e-9d48-405c-8a2c-6c19562c3a82","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-27c60fbb-39b5-4872-95cd-f98da97c1b37","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credits: Harry_nl (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

BYD's PR chief admitted they changed the tanks after customer complaints, then mysteriously deleted his social media post.

[{"selector":"#anim-6fc29b97-30e4-48d2-92fa-4d81241789b0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77420259-61a0-47e3-ae48-3e16871ffdd0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-11f8fad5-98ae-4c3b-afa1-3d8eb00e0099","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f901bf3a-1fc5-40b7-b6a2-3c3dfe5a9130","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fccce670-eaac-41d2-9373-344be7a329e9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credits: John Lloyd (CC BY 2.0)

While rivals trade accusations, BYD slashed their cheapest model to just $7,771 - making EVs affordable for millions of Chinese families.

[{"selector":"#anim-7cf9f111-189c-492d-b457-95e6ab759c2d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-056f43b7-e2f0-47dd-aabe-edaa63d2870e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.04866%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e0b46dad-7555-4f97-922b-b128eb0803eb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-88dfce43-b340-4b6a-8c1c-e0ebf7bdf2a6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4bf1ffba-5056-4064-8b90-a66414cb0d67","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credits: Matti Blume (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The price war became so brutal that China's ministry summoned automakers for an emergency meeting last week.

[{"selector":"#anim-c3d54534-0742-4e4a-b1bc-14dc720c7c62","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1aab28da-d743-4ad4-bdb4-4ced42c4ce89","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-26421da3-9b31-4606-b708-c387975d7d68","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e4ac8f7b-34a3-4f88-b56c-94d42a04db39","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7345c4f9-6809-4bc6-b79f-18321bb72032","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Picryl (PDM 1.0)

Car dealers are drowning in excess inventory as desperate manufacturers dump vehicles at unsustainable prices.

[{"selector":"#anim-9ebb21b2-5b0d-4c82-9558-ee56bcef12d6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-284fc33b-8332-4ff2-a095-6f65473b7e4f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 245.84677%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1f038298-7cf6-4219-9974-918be6c3c15a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c78493ea-df36-4fed-a1f5-e68841d47eba","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69af56eb-57df-48be-b7b4-1a47e28944f5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Test (CC BY 4.0)

Smaller EV makers are struggling to survive as giants like BYD squeeze margins to razor-thin levels.

[{"selector":"#anim-5ceee167-0f75-4a2b-8793-ebb48dfc699f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0615181e-e039-4a55-81fd-7e21bb44fb48","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2ce8309e-6138-490b-8c0d-8c163d03f85a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-79020c88-7c9b-42f7-a56c-64e29ed4244d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3eb77299-37ca-4dda-b821-e28bf2df2952","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Free Malaysia Today (CC BY 4.0)

The battle is spilling beyond China's borders as manufacturers look to export surplus vehicles to global markets.

[{"selector":"#anim-ca56e825-ae0e-4514-8698-eb01cee110eb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7006a0cf-531d-48ab-a038-b1fe43ebf3f9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.8299%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8ee20037-c5ab-431a-9295-f94900690d20","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2b3af53e-9772-4dd6-b539-db3268668b57","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e7aaeff5-2b58-4bbb-8988-f46b83342bab","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Datasetpattern (CC0 1.0)

Auto workers face uncertainty as the industry consolidation threatens jobs across the supply chain.

[{"selector":"#anim-c9d5b914-fa4d-458b-8d47-bb4786417a91","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d039e538-1f23-4eb4-be32-118b50a5b4ac","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 245.84677%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a8397fab-bb9b-4a30-800d-20ad1eee04b8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cd189341-141a-4234-9f62-5db8411e3588","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-154550de-7f2a-4f46-a5e9-2e3767d4ef5e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Heute (CC BY 4.0) Learn more

Cheaper EVs benefit consumers today, but experts warn the price war could damage China's long-term EV leadership.

[{"selector":"#anim-edbf2a9d-193e-4d4d-a20e-d0d268ca5040","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e6ae281c-77d5-4584-82dc-3c1aac6638c1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.8299%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ee42e51e-5b28-4c73-b00c-1b39960a8c9b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b915ac43-1fb3-4911-816d-ff1b132361cc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-03ac5a59-c9c0-4d7a-b364-3c2ae486c9f2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

[{"selector":"#anim-1b65babc-acec-47af-8e04-5505d75af9e3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cbd1e5a5-f516-4f14-aa69-594c490c915e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eefed9a1-4a40-4701-b5fd-b9911bae27dd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4b6b8881-f978-488e-aa4d-5a2d3ea9b9f3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ae0a4a93-88cd-480d-92bb-817698887050","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] BYD to Fully Control EV Sales in Australia by 2025 Learn more