BYD is automaker with the most R&D staff
Chinese automaker BYD is emerging as a formidable global EV competitor, with riders and drivers praising its low-cost, well-equipped cars while questioning long-term reliability, software polish, and after-sales support. Commenters debate how much of BYD’s and China’s broader EV and battery dominance stems from genuine innovation and brutal domestic competition versus state subsidies, protectionism, and industrial policy. The thread broadens into concerns about deindustrialization in the West, tariffs and “dumping,” strategic dependence on Chinese clean‑energy supply chains, and whether legacy US/EU carmakers can or should be protected as EV adoption accelerates.
BYD/Chinese EV Product Impressions
- Multiple commenters report riding in or driving BYD models (Seal, hybrids, minivans) and find them smooth, comfortable, powerful, and competitively priced.
- Common complaints: mediocre suspension “not European enough,” rough or poorly localized software/UX (bad translations, confusing driver-assist states), gimmicky interior lighting.
- Some skepticism remains about long‑term durability (battery life, electronics repairability, hidden maintenance traps) given limited multi‑decade track record.
Pricing, Competitiveness, and Market Structure
- Chinese EVs cited as uniquely willing to be “cheap and decent,” with small cars around $10k in China and ~$17–21k abroad, versus mostly premium EVs from legacy Western firms.
- Several argue Western automakers deserve to lose market share for underinvesting in EVs and focusing on high‑margin SUVs and luxury segments.
- Others note many Chinese EV brands are financially fragile startups lacking 15‑year support and service infrastructure.
Subsidies, Protectionism, and Industrial Policy
- Disagreement over the role and scale of Chinese subsidies:
- Some claim EV/battery success is mainly due to heavy state support, protectionism, and forced localization/tech transfer.
- Others counter that direct EV subsidies ended in 2022 and total support (~$5.6B over >10 years) is modest relative to Western incumbents’ resources; they blame Western mismanagement.
- EU/US tariffs are viewed by some as necessary defense against dumping/mercantilism; others see them as consumer‑harmful delay of inevitable Chinese cost leadership.
Safety, Quality Processes, and Service
- BYD and others reportedly achieve 5‑star Euro NCAP results; debate whether US standards are stricter or not.
- A translated Chinese insider account criticizes some EV startups for lax engineering practices (skipping DFMEA, incomplete validation, corner‑cutting with suppliers, poor forecasting).
- Tesla is used as a comparison point: praised for OTA updates and mobile service, but criticized for parts availability, repairability, and high insurance costs.
Geopolitics, Risk, and “Trojan Horse” Concerns
- Some frame cheap Chinese EVs and energy hardware as a strategic Trojan horse: global dependence on Chinese supply chains, plus potential for software backdoors or remote shutdown.
- Others note similar theoretical risks exist with any connected Western product; question how deep current regulatory/technical oversight really goes.
Industrial Capacity, Labor, and Supply Chains
- Discussion of how China accumulated advanced manufacturing: initial Western equipment sales, then domestic capability and massive scaling (robots, batteries, shipbuilding).
- Labor cost differences seen as real but not decisive; commenters emphasize labor efficiency, automation, and integrated supply chains.
BYD Scale and R&D Headcount
- BYD’s huge workforce (hundreds of thousands, with many in R&D) prompts doubts about efficiency and whether job classifications are inflated.
- Some see the many overlapping BYD sub‑brands and lineups as wasteful; others view broad experimentation as a reasonable early‑stage strategy.