On December 3, Li Yunfei, the General Manager of Brand and Public Relations at BYD Group, posted on Weibo, alleging that BYD had been maliciously smeared and defamed. “We will pursue to the end those involved in illegal activities! We also advise: if you have done something wrong and feel guilty, or if you have information, feel free to contact us. Depending on the circumstances and in compliance with regulations, we may reduce or exempt your liability. Depending on the value of the information and clues provided, we will give rewards ranging from 50,000 to 5 million yuan!” Li Yunfei stated.
BYD Strikes Back Against Malicious Smear Campaign Li Yunfei’s statement may have been prompted by recent events involving the BYD Qin Pro brand. Recently, a certain automotive self-media with over a million followers released a video claiming that the BYD Qin Pro car consumes 18 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers at high speeds, a far cry from the official promotional data, sparking heated discussions. On December 2nd, the Qin Pro car issued a statement stating that the police requested relevant vehicle operation data as evidence, and the results showed that the vehicle had exhibited a large number of abnormal driving behaviors that day. During the entire high-speed driving process, there were 3 time periods where the speed exceeded 180 km/h, and 6 time periods where the speed exceeded 170 km/h. It was also found that there were abnormal stopping times on certain sections of the highway, indicating the possibility of speeding and sudden braking. The Qin Pro car stated, “Recently, the related video has sparked widespread discussions on the internet, causing a negative impact on the reputation and business development of the Qin Pro brand. For such malicious smear campaigns, Qin Pro will not tolerate them and will directly seek to protect the brand’s legitimate rights and interests through legal means.”
Li Yunfei expressed support, BYD’s legal department will pursue other matters behind the related videos to the end. This is not BYD’s first counterattack against malicious smears. On December 28, 2021, BYD launched the “BYD Clear Action” to collect clues and evidence of black PR operations against BYD from the public, rewarding 50,000 to 1 million RMB. On June 1, 2022, BYD increased the reward to 50,000 to 5 million RMB, valid for “one year.” According to BYD, the evidence collected from the outside world includes but is not limited to chat records, emails, contracts, and fund transfer records related to black PR operations against BYD. Such information should have legal effect. After BYD verifies the authenticity, the provider will be rewarded, and BYD will also strictly keep the provider’s personal information confidential. On December 3, BYD’s online reporting center announced through WeChat public account that the effective period of the adjusted reward policy for online black PR, 50,000 to 5 million RMB, will be long-term.
BYD’s new energy vehicle sales in November exceeded 300,000 units Behind BYD’s counterattack against smear campaigns, the current situation in the car market is becoming more “heated.” According to incomplete statistics, from December 1st to 3rd, several car brands including BYD, Changan Automobile, Zhiji Automobile, Leapmotor, FAW Toyota, FAW Volkswagen, and NIO have successively announced their latest car purchase policies, signaling an upcoming “price war.” “This year, the most talked-about word in the automotive industry is ‘heated’, heated technology, heated products, heated prices, heated marketing, and even heated competition, to a level I have not seen in my nearly 20 years in the industry,” said Li Yunfei. As the year-end approaches, BYD, as a leading company, has also started to boost sales. According to BYD dealers, in November, cash discounts for models such as Qin, Han, Tang, and Song have increased to between 3,000 and 10,000 yuan (1400$). BYD’s production and sales data shows that the company sold 301,903 new energy vehicles in November, marking the second consecutive month of sales exceeding 300,000 units; from January to November, cumulative sales of new energy vehicles reached 2,683,374 units, a cumulative year-on-year increase of 64.80%. BYD’s sales target for this year is 3 million units, which means that it needs to maintain a monthly sales level of 300,000 units in December to achieve the goal. “In the price range of 100,000 to 200,000 yuan (27990$) in the Chinese car market, BYD has the right to set prices for its products,” said BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu, “I don’t want to make it difficult for everyone, others have no way out.” In December, BYD’s official website launched a limited-time fuel-to-electricity conversion fund discount policy. “This move aims to comprehensively promote DM-i super hybrid technology and accelerate the ‘oil-to-electricity’ process,” a BYD spokesperson told Securities Daily reporters. “I hope the industry will heat up technology, products, and services with grace and meaning,” Li Yunfei said on Weibo, “otherwise, everyone will just be engaged in a zero-sum game of verbal warfare, which is not helpful to the industry or to themselves.”