[BEIJING] BYD, the world’s largest EV manufacturer, is making its largest recall of more than 115,000 vehicles in its crucial home market due to technical defects, raising concerns about quality control in the Chinese giant’s rush to keep costs down.
The two separate recalls, which target both hybrid and pure-electric models, follow official investigations by the State Administration for Market Regulation, according to a statement published by the regulatory body on Friday (Oct 17).
While automobile recalls are common, these defects involve core drive and battery components and may add to consumer anxiety in China over EV safety, which has been heightened by two fatal crashes involving BYD rival Xiaomi cars this year.
Regulators are drafting door handle mechanism requirements to address the dangers posed by flush or hidden handles popularised by Tesla.
The first BYD recall targets approximately 44,000 units of an earlier version of the flagship hybrid Tang series, produced between March 2015 and July 2017. Defects in a component design and the drive motor controller could lead to a circuit board burnout and, in extreme cases, cause a loss of power.
The larger recall involves roughly 70,000 electric Yuan Pro crossovers manufactured between February 2021 and August 2022. A flaw in the battery waterproof design could lead to a reduction of power output. BYD plans to remedy the problem by applying a sealant to the battery housing.
BYD is seeking to shed its image as a domestic, price-competitive player and build a global brand while China’s automobile price war has eroded the company’s market dominance at home.
The EV behemoth experienced its first monthly sales decline in 18 months in September, losing the title of China’s best-selling brand in the period. It was also forced to slash its sales target for 2025 from 5.5 million units to 4.6 million due to tough conditions in the market. BLOOMBERG
