# BYD electric cars

157 Hacker News commenters recommended BYD electric cars and 53 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 12 of 13 months; owners who said how long report a median of 1 years (3 owners). It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Affordable, well-equipped EVs that many see as matching pricier rivals, though they're blocked or tariffed in the US and critics question parts availability and build quality.

## Why people recommend it

- Low price, cheap to run (9 comments): "BYDs are held at bay in an anti free market policy specifically because American car companies cannot compete with its low cost and quality." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50123836)) "It was pleasant, had good features and good range, cheap to buy, cheap to operate and easier to maintain than alternatives." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48250572)) "Compare all that to a BYD you could realistically buy outright for $10-15K and charge in your driveway every night." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46584882))
- Quality rivals or beats competitors (6 comments): "BYDs are held at bay in an anti free market policy specifically because American car companies cannot compete with its low cost and quality." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50123836)) "BYD for example is one of these Chinese-made brands prohibited in the US but leading the industry in performance." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47582800)) "From everything I have read, the BYD cars that would be available here would be competitive products" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49747365))
- Strong software and included features (5 comments): "It was pleasant, had good features and good range, cheap to buy, cheap to operate and easier to maintain than alternatives." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48250572)) "I read their EULA and it sounded pretty okay. They also didn't come preloaded with youtube or other distraction apps" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49956836)) "their software stack is fully integrated as an appliance piece, which means you get all the features of android" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47450226))
- Advanced battery tech (2 comments): "they have LFP batteries which last much longer than Li-ion ones in addition to being safer" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49849175)) "BYD may very well be pulling ahead on battery tech and vertical integration right now." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48897961))

## What people warn about

- Build quality and safety doubts (3 comments): "I've heard that mechanics raised similar concenrns about the quality of rust protection as well as the thickness of steel on BYDs." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47456749)) "From mass recalls to faking sales targets and finances, BYD is actually facing serious problems." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48040618)) "examples where the tires simply fall off because they don't use enough metal in the suspension" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46459261))
- Spare parts hard to get (2 comments): "BYD are just affordable and maybe reliable, regarding maintenance their spares are hard to come by" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46862703)) "the only vendor that makes parts for it is BYD - and its up to them if they bother selling to you" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48381155))
- Tacky styling, screen-heavy interior (3 comments): "they test drived a BYD as well which was the same as a Tesla, just one huge tablet and endless menus" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48040277)) "BYD cars are so weirdly obnoxious. It's like they're designed for 60 year-old nouveau riche." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48748855)) "I just don’t like the tackiness of the interior and not in love with the exterior either" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46809553))
- Data and remote-disable concerns (2 comments): "the data that these cars might be sending or being exposed to having the car remotely disabled" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48381542)) "It’s not that they are doing this, but that they have done it and they have the capability" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45827197))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Tesla vehicles](https://hackerapproved.com/p/tesla-vehicles.md): 209 recommend
- [Ferrari Luce](https://hackerapproved.com/p/ferrari-luce.md): 140 recommend
- [Tesla Model 3](https://hackerapproved.com/p/tesla-model-3.md): 128 recommend
- [Rivian electric vehicle](https://hackerapproved.com/p/rivian.md): 73 recommend
- [Nissan Leaf](https://hackerapproved.com/p/nissan-leaf.md): 62 recommend

## Where to get it

- [Visit the official site](https://www.byd.com/us)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "BYD electric cars", https://hackerapproved.com/p/byd/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).