What’s it like to ride a BYD electric car?
What was it like driving a BYD electric car?
- A group of 50 U.S. House members is calling on the Trump administration to block the sale of Chinese-made electric vehicles in the United States.
- A bipartisan Senate bill has been introduced that would ban Chinese-made EVs, citing concerns about national security and unfair competition.
- Currently, high tariffs and federal regulations prevent BYD and other Chinese-made EVs from being sold in the U.S. market.
President Donald Trump’s visit to China has sparked a ferocious movement among lawmakers and lobbying groups for automakers and parts manufacturers to pass legislation that would block the sale of Chinese-made electric vehicles in the United States.
In a letter to Trump administration cabinet members working on trade issues, a group of 50 U.S. House members said the president and his administration should do everything in their power to prevent Chinese EVs from being sold in the U.S. because the entry would seriously hurt domestic manufacturers.
“China’s goal is not to compete in the U.S. auto market, but to hollow out the U.S. auto market and ultimately limit consumer choice to Chinese brands,” the lawmakers said in a May 6 letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Trade Ambassador Jamieson Greer. “If we allow Chinese car and battery companies to manufacture in the United States, we are putting our national security at risk.”
Separately, a bipartisan bill has been introduced in the Senate that would ban the sale of Chinese-made EVs in the United States.. Supporters say the measure, known as the Connected Vehicle Security Act, is necessary because Chinese EV makers are not held to the same labor and auto safety standards as American manufacturers.
“China is using cars as weapons to invade the United States, destroy our manufacturing base, and spy on us,” Sen. Bernie Moreno, Republican of Ohio, said on the X Post. “We will completely seal off the United States from Chinese predators.”
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), the Democratic sponsor of the Senate bill, added in her
“That’s why when it comes to the American auto industry and auto workers, I’m not going to give in without a fight,” Slotkin continued.
Who is China’s largest EV seller?
BYD is China’s largest EV sales company. In 2025, it temporarily overtook Tesla to become the world’s largest EV maker. The company name is an acronym for “Build Your Dreams.” It was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
According to the company’s December sales report, BYD sold 4,602,436 passenger cars and commercial vehicles in 2025.
Sales included 2,256,714 battery electric vehicles, 2,288,709 plug-in hybrid vehicles, and 57,013 commercial vehicles.
How much does BYD’s China EV cost?
The average price of a BYD car sold in Europe is $45,083, according to the company’s website. There’s also a compact electric model starting at $28,000.
The average selling price of a new electric vehicle in the U.S. was $55,715 in January, according to Kelley Blue Book.
Critics say BYD can offer cheaper electric vehicles than its American peers because it doesn’t have to follow U.S. labor standards for compensation and working conditions. He added that domestic automakers will have to sell EVs at a loss to compete with BYD on price.
Why can’t we buy Chinese-made EVs in the US?
BYD’s electric vehicles are not currently sold in the United States. This is due to factors such as high tariffs currently in place and federal regulations regarding connected car technology and vehicle safety standards that the company views as restrictive.
BYD currently sells commercial vehicles in the U.S., but the CEO of the company’s U.S. subsidiary said in an interview that he believes the U.S. market is “too restrictive.”
In a May 2024 interview with Yahoo Finance, BYD America CEO Stella Lee said the U.S. EV market is “an interesting market, but it’s very complex.” While consumer interest appears to be waning, other factors are further complicating the situation, Lee said.
The Trump administration has imposed 100% tariffs on all Chinese imports, including cars, making it financially prohibitive for BYD to sell cars in the US.
The Trump administration has opposed BYD’s entry into the United States, and its leaders have also criticized Canadian authorities for signing a trade deal with China.
