BYD Experiences Increase in Customer Complaints Regarding Smart EV Feature Launch.
A Chinese consumer platform has documented thousands of complaints as customers voice their dissatisfaction with free smart driving capabilities and swift model upgrades in a highly competitive environment.
BEIJING, February 18, 2025 – Between February 11 and February 17, over 4,700 complaints were submitted against BYD on the Chinese auto consumer complaints platform 12365auto.com. This marks a significant rise from roughly 150 the previous week and around 500 in January, with most grievances centered on the company’s approach to providing free smart driving features across much of its vehicle range.
The complaints include reports from owners of various BYD models, particularly those from the popular Ocean and Dynasty series, which rank among the top ten models in terms of complaint numbers on the platform.
One complaint from a Seal 06 DM-i plug-in hybrid sedan owner revealed that the customer had inquired about the availability of a new model before making the purchase, only to find that a significantly upgraded model was released within two weeks at the same price.
The customer sought free upgrades and compensation, a concern that BYD acknowledged had been directed to the relevant internal teams.
BYD has not provided any further comments on the issue.
This rise in complaints coincides with a period of fierce competition in the Chinese automotive market, marked by an ongoing price war, aggressive pricing tactics, and swift launches of new models.
Similar conditions were noted two years ago when U.S. automaker Tesla faced a similar situation in China after a price reduction prompted a flurry of customer requests for refunds and credits.
The complaints include reports from owners of various BYD models, particularly those from the popular Ocean and Dynasty series, which rank among the top ten models in terms of complaint numbers on the platform.
One complaint from a Seal 06 DM-i plug-in hybrid sedan owner revealed that the customer had inquired about the availability of a new model before making the purchase, only to find that a significantly upgraded model was released within two weeks at the same price.
The customer sought free upgrades and compensation, a concern that BYD acknowledged had been directed to the relevant internal teams.
BYD has not provided any further comments on the issue.
This rise in complaints coincides with a period of fierce competition in the Chinese automotive market, marked by an ongoing price war, aggressive pricing tactics, and swift launches of new models.
Similar conditions were noted two years ago when U.S. automaker Tesla faced a similar situation in China after a price reduction prompted a flurry of customer requests for refunds and credits.
