Small, well-built Chinese EV called the Seagull poses a big threat to the US auto industry

It would cost much if it weren't subsidized by mid-double digit percentages by the Chinese government.

r1 True. On the other hand, the only reason these aren't available in the US market already is the laziness and greed of American carmakers, plus Big Oil doing its thang. So there's a lot of blame to go around, with the consumer and the planet getting shafted in the end.

Sheagull.

And I'm not sure how well built it really is.

^ great point and looks similar to some of our other EV's.

BYD's buses are shit. Why would their cars be any different?

ElderGays, tell us about the Yugo.

China can make them all crash into each other like a video game. Nope.

r5 Not a great point at all. It's BYD, so they are actually *very* well built. That's the whole reason American and European policymakers are freaking the fuck out right now, introducing steep tariffs on these cars – because BYD has managed, in very short time, to achieve US- and European-level build quality, coupled with insanely attractive prices. Here's a great article about it from February about why BYD is an existential threat to western carmakers.

[quote]China’s BYD was a battery manufacturer trying its hand at building cars when it showed off its newest model in 2007. American executives at the Guangzhou auto show gaped at the car’s uneven purple paint job and the poor fit of its doors.

[quote]“They were the laughingstock of the industry,” said Michael Dunne, a China auto industry analyst. Nobody is laughing at BYD now.

[quote]BYD is building assembly lines in Brazil, Hungary, Thailand and Uzbekistan and preparing to do so in Indonesia and Mexico. It is rapidly expanding exports to Europe. And the company is on the cusp of passing Volkswagen Group, which includes Audi, as the market leader in China.

They'll swallow the whole market if western carmakers don't get their shit together and start making affordable EVs, yesterday.

Safety? Reliability? Durability?

r8 what you don't seem to grasp is that the PRICES AREN'T REAL. Chinese EV pricing, especially in China, is so completely unmoored from reality that it's pointless to even talk about. Every automaker who isn't Chinese and funded in large part or wholly by their government has to remain Earthbound and deal with what's actually happening in the EV market.

"Well built"

I wouldn't be so sure, China is not known for their quality and I have a hard time believing an American spec car could sell for anything that cheap. We like airbags and crumple zones

R8/ Chinese cars are GARBAGE 🗑 especially compared to Toyotas.

I had read another article on this car that I am too lazy to try and find again. It said that the price would probably double to meet US standards, still at $24,000 it would still be a bargain compared to what else is on the market.

Ok, so the more cars they make, the more money the Chinese government loses?

What happened to those little cars that you occasionally saw on the road about 15 years ago?

^ They died and went to little car heaven

BYD cars catch fire.

What does "BYD" stand for?

^ Stands for 比亚迪汽车 which translated is Bǐyǎdí pronounced BYD

BYD translates to Big Yellow Dick!

^ Ho Li Fuk

The Chinese know how to build apartment buildings too. Cheap cars, cheap housing, don’t they know they’re supposed to be grinding their boot on the throat of the consumers???

Build Your Dreams.

According to the article.

[quote]As a poor, I'd immediately buy one of these.

As a Chinese sock puppet account or troll farm worker, I'd immediately post and try to convince people to buy one of these.

There. Fixed that for you.

Yeah, you should enjoy buying $35k used cars bro.

This could be effective for the American buyer: a budget-friendly electric vehicle for city commutes, errands, and school runs, paired with a larger car or SUV for extended trips, like hauling a Costco-sized pack of toilet paper.

But is there any status gain involved in buying one?

I was listening to NPR a few weeks ago. The first story at the top of the hour was about the unionization effort in the Southern auto factories. The emphasis was on how good these jobs already are, about the impact they have on the wider regional economy, and how much better they could possibly be if the plants unionized and if the UAW's effort to empower American workers keeps gaining momentum.

The very NEXT story was about a bunch of Americans complaining they can't buy ultra cheap Chinese made elecrtic vehicles because of tarifs, trade restricitons, etc.

We can have one or the other - but it'd be game over for the American (and foreign automakers assembling in the US) if the restrictions on Chinese EVs ended today. 45 years ago the US effectively destroyed its manufacturing base (and millions and millions of good paying, honest jobs) because we only wanted lower prices. Some people still haven't learned.

Thank goodness we have been saved from affordable vehicles.

Well built, except they do seem to keep catching on fire as R18 points out

These things are also rolling computers. They are internet connected. This is important, because it would just take one over the air update should there be a sudden deterioration in relations with China/ the CCP (eg if they invade Taiwan) and the thing becomes a toaster

Build Your Dreams could turn into Burn Your Nightmare