EV Giants Clash In China, BYD Faces Backlash Over Emissions And Price Wars
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BYD recently dropped the price of its cheapest model to just 55,800 yuan (£6,100), causing a major stir in the market.
A long-running dispute between China's electric vehicle (EV) giants has flared up again. The rivalry between BYD and Great Wall Motor over emissions standards has taken a fresh turn, with Geely now stepping into the fight.
This all began in 2023, when Great Wall reported BYD to Chinese regulators. The claim? That BYD's top-selling hybrid models—Qin Plus and Song Plus—did not meet China's emissions standards, as per Reuters.
Last month, the issue resurfaced when Wei Jianjun, Chairman of Great Wall, raised new concerns about the ongoing EV price war and confirmed the emissions probe was still under review.
BYD Hits Back
BYD responded strongly, dismissing Wei's remarks as 'alarmist." However, the company did not directly address the emissions accusations this time. Back in 2023, BYD had said its vehicles fully complied with the rules.
Now, Geely's Vice President, Victor Yang, has added fuel to the fire. At a recent auto conference in Chongqing, Yang stated that Geely's own tests showed the same emission issues. He even praised Wei Jianjun, calling him a 'genuine, honest person" and the industry's 'whistleblower."
The Fuel Tank Controversy
The main concern lies in BYD's use of non-pressurised fuel tanks in the two hybrid models. These tanks allow fuel to evaporate faster than pressurised ones, raising emission worries.
BYD's Li Yunfei, General Manager of Branding and PR, responded on Weibo, stating that the tanks used from 2021 to 2023 followed all rules at the time. However, he admitted they were later changed due to customer complaints. His post was later deleted, and BYD gave no comment on why it was removed.
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), which is part of the emissions investigation, has not commented yet.
Meanwhile, Great Wall and Geely have also remained quiet, with Geely pointing only to Yang's public speech as its official stance.
A Market Under Pressure
This public clash comes at a tense time for China's EV market. BYD has been slashing prices to boost sales—its cheapest model now starts at just 55,800 yuan (£6,100).
These price cuts have sparked a wider auto stock sell-off, making investors and other automakers uneasy.
In response, MIIT reportedly called a closed-door meeting with carmakers last week, asking them to stop the aggressive pricing. Car dealers have also requested automakers to stop pushing unsold stock onto them.
First Published:
June 10, 2025, 09:10 IST
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