The war between Tesla and BYD is intensifying, with the latter scoring a win recently by delivering more pure electric vehicles (EVs) in Q4 2023. Despite Tesla’s price cuts in 2023, the American carmaker delivered 484,507 EVs last quarter, which is less than BYD that managed 526,409 units.
However, it should be noted that Tesla still sold more EVs in 2023 with 1,808,581 units delivered against BYD’s 1,574,822 units. Will 2024 see BYD take the overall EV sales crown? We’ll have to wait and see.
BYD’s rapid ascent has attracted plenty of comments, with an X (formerly Twitter) user (@NicklasNilsso14) comparing the Chinese carmaker to Tesla in more detail – this was in response to another X user that claimed BYD and Tesla are not comparable.
One standout point mentioned in @NicklasNilsso14’s post was, “BYD is big, but have little to no software capability, so when Tesla hit their OTA with FSD, there would be not so big difference.” Tesla CEO Elon Musk replied to @NicklasNilsso14’s tweet by saying, “Tesla is an artificial intelligence (AI)/robotics company that appears to many to be a car company.”
Tesla is an AI/robotics company that appears to many to be a car company
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 3, 2024
@NicklasNilsso14’s comment didn’t sit well with Denza’s head of sales, Zhao Changjiang – Denza (also known as Shenzhen BYD New Energy) is a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes-Benz. As reported by Fortune, Zhao took to Weibo on January 24, 20 to respond to BYD’s supposed lack of software capability.
In his Weibo post, Zhao said BYD was “very strong now” and that Tesla will face serious challenge in regards to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) – software plays a big part – and car models in 2024. He also proclaimed Denza’s N7 will “change the landscape of the automotive market and triumph over the ‘Y’ model – a clear reference to the Tesla Model Y.
Confirmation of Tesla losing out to BYD in Q4 2023 came following the former’s recent earnings call announcement on January 24, 2023. In a post-earnings call with analysts, Reuters reports Musk said Chinese automakers were the “most competitive” and “will have significant success outside of China, depending on what kind of tariffs or trade barriers are established.”
“If there are no trade barriers established, they will pretty much demolish most other car companies in the world. They’re extremely good,” he noted. Analysts were also bullish in regards to the competitiveness of Chinese carmakers, which are said to be fast-moving and adept at keeping costs in check with a stable supply chain. High demand in China and innovative technologies such as in-car infotainment and battery swapping are also differentiators that can drive overseas growth.
The mention of trade barriers is notable as the presidential election is gaining pace in the United States, with frontrunners Joe Biden and Donald Trump both looking to prevent Chinese carmakers from dominating the EV market. As reported by The Wall Street Journal last December, Trump is calling for a 10% tariff on all imports and higher levies on China.
It isn’t just the US that is concerned about Chinese-made EVs. In September last year, the European Commission launched an investigation to decide whether to impose punitive tariffs to protect European Union automakers against cheaper Chinese EV imports that it says are benefiting from state subsidies. China’s ambassador to the European Union, Fu Cong, told Bloomberg this week that the EU’s probe into Chinese EV makers over state subsidies was unfair and risked damaging ties.
Musk said in the post-earnings call that there was “no obvious opportunity” to partner with Chinese rivals, although Tesla was open to giving them access to its charging network and licensing other technologies such as self-driving.
Recently, it was reported that Tesla is preparing to start production of a new mass-market EV sometime in mid-2025. Codenamed Redwood, the model planned is said to be a compact crossover built on a next-gen platform dubbed NV9X and starting from USD25,000 (around RM118k). Such a model would allow Tesla to potentially capture a wider customer base, as some may lack the budget to procure Tesla’s current cheapest offering, the Model 3.
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China numba one, Malaysia numba last
Malaysia harimao hampir menang korea wo..mcm dh menang world cup
Why would Musk wants to compete with BYD? There are always poor people looking for a product too and BYD fits.
You either sound like a very disturbed or having brain difficulty
Like u
Biasa lah guys, itu specis ular dari tanah kari najis is jealous of China. Dia hari hari tengok berita KelingTong seperti Wion dan Firstpost punya. Kuat sokong Israel punya ular. Kami dah tahu game ular kari ni. Kami sokon BYD sebab China penyokong kuat Palestine.
India-China politics aren’t relevant here. Didn’t know criticising BYD = going against China, CCP, pro-west ha ha ha
So now u laugh my seal lah?..come race for pink slip lah
isn’t how Tesla started to challenge the Low Spec BMW and Benz?
this is where we need the Lemon Law.
Just look at recently every tesla cars went hibernation mode during extreme cold winter meanwhile chinese ev operates normally during cold winter
I will root for any country that wants to demolish China once and for all. Most Pro-Palestine activists are so naive thinking china is on their side.
In politics everything can turn 360 even like your mother from bad to whore
I sense Motherless behavior lmao
If cannot compete then establish trade barrier. Isn’t this what we have been doing for decades, but have we succeeded?
“Trade barrier” = tongkat. Tesla is no different than P1/P2 in MY. Can’t compete on an open market, so must ask govt to intervene. Capitalism is only good until you get screwed. Then you switch to socialism.
Yes Warren Buffet foreseen this. He bought 25% of BYD many years ago at USD1 per share and sold 88% of its pieces at USD30 per share.
The kwai loh got one very bad habit,when they cant compete on pricing alone.
They impose tariffs on the Chinese Evs.
Tariffs distort true competition.
They argue the Xi regime gave the Chinese Evs some preferential treatment.Now which western regime didnt aid their own Ev manufacturers and the purchasers?
The west are full of double standards.They criticise other nations on human rights.
NOw ,30 to 50 Gazans are killed just because they spotted 1 Hamas fighter in the crowd.Is this cowardice or mafia style bombing?
Time to boycott Tesla instead of Mc Dee.Go and enjoy your burger.The workers there r getting retrenchment soon.
Erm… didn’t middle kingdom punishes the entire extended family because of one wrong doer?
Next time u commit crime..u want police arrest all your innocent family members?
You are absolutely right. Mat Salleh always play dirty. Cannot be trusted. Similar to one of our asian neighbors (don’t want to say it oult loud but I guess most people know which country in asia are like snakes and cannot be trusted, hint kari, najis, kotor).
That is many countries are joining and working with China and Russia today. More steady. Handshake dah cukup. Itu mat salleh punya sign contract also can cancel punya. That is why Europe and all their close allies are collapsing very fast. No one trust them any more
Tesla Sales curve started to bends downwards = Investors aka speculators should take moneys away and RUN
America had been hammering CHINA about Free Trade, Free Markets, Open Lobang BIG BIG, bla bla bla. NOW America need trade barriers to protect home grown Brands?
TESLA the Great want State Subsidy to survive? Does that means its is a STATE owned companies, commies company
Funny now car market in China is one of the market with the most freedom without any tongkat towards any car brands including their own.
Are you sure they don’t have any tongkat?
There is tongkat in China too. So much so there are 80+ auto companies there. Surviving with incentives provided by the local district governments. Though this is about to end. The central government is about to intervene in this. Expect to see huge consolidations in the coming years once the policy is up. 80+ companies is just too unsustainable even for huge domestic Chinese markets.
Hey wait, Elon learn the trick from Atok??
Go BYD!
It meant, with no respect to rnd (copy technologgy) the chinese car makers will kill all established car maker and tradional car maker.