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The $10k BYD Seagull EV is scaring the U.S. auto industry

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Re: The $10k BYD Seagull EV is scaring the U.S. auto industry

#21

Post by pixelatedindex »

Arnt wrote: post #13
tw04 wrote: post #3

As it should, just like the dirt cheap solar panels from China scared US suppliers and drove all of them out of business. When the government subsidizes product to the point of it being significantly below market cost in order to capture market share, the folks who can't do the same lose. See: Amazon and small bookstores.

That car is small, light, has few moving parts, no luxury parts, and the most expensive part is dropping quickly in price. It clearly is below market cost, since it sets a new price record. But subsidized? What makes you think it's subsidized?

I’m guessing the Chinese government bears some of this cost, particularly R&D. Even the article mentioned the government subsidizing cost. Unless you don’t believe that.

Re: The $10k BYD Seagull EV is scaring the U.S. auto industry

#22

Post by paxys »

foobarian wrote: post #9
paxys wrote: post #4

Affordable small cars have never been a thing in the US, electric or not. There's zero reason to believe that this new batch will pose a threat.

Should be safe to allow imports then, right? Since nobody but me would buy one. :-)

Who says imports aren't allowed?

Re: The $10k BYD Seagull EV is scaring the U.S. auto industry

#23

Post by boringg »

Everyone being like - we don't care about cars that small. It's the equivalent at looking at LLMs two years ago and being - it can't perform anything. It's an entry point and they will get bigger and better and more attractive - to the benefit of consumers upping the competition.

Kia was written off when it first came to town. US domestics should be concerned - they wrote off Tesla as well.

Re: The $10k BYD Seagull EV is scaring the U.S. auto industry

#24

Post by silverquiet »

paxys wrote: post #4

Affordable small cars have never been a thing in the US, electric or not. There's zero reason to believe that this new batch will pose a threat.

I mean, not from the domestic makers who want as much margin as possible, but when I was a kid, the Japanese imports had already gone from being seen as junk to praised as the most reliable cars you could buy, and Korean cars were just starting to come in.

Re: The $10k BYD Seagull EV is scaring the U.S. auto industry

#25

Post by segasaturn »

paxys wrote: post #4

Affordable small cars have never been a thing in the US, electric or not. There's zero reason to believe that this new batch will pose a threat.

> Affordable small cars have never been a thing in the US

Why not? Just a cultural thing? Times are tough in America and people are interested in EVs because of gas prices. I see a $10k EV selling like wildfire - small, entry-level and not as big a commitment as a F-150 Lightning.

Re: The $10k BYD Seagull EV is scaring the U.S. auto industry

#26

Post by toomuchtodo »

foobarian wrote: post #9
paxys wrote: post #4

Affordable small cars have never been a thing in the US, electric or not. There's zero reason to believe that this new batch will pose a threat.

Should be safe to allow imports then, right? Since nobody but me would buy one. :-)

I am attempting to import the Seagull currently (experience the pain, see if and how to scale, how to avoid tariff mechanisms, etc), intend to report back with findings.

https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/importing-car

Re: The $10k BYD Seagull EV is scaring the U.S. auto industry

#27

Post by mooreds »

Arnt wrote: post #13
tw04 wrote: post #3

As it should, just like the dirt cheap solar panels from China scared US suppliers and drove all of them out of business. When the government subsidizes product to the point of it being significantly below market cost in order to capture market share, the folks who can't do the same lose. See: Amazon and small bookstores.

That car is small, light, has few moving parts, no luxury parts, and the most expensive part is dropping quickly in price. It clearly is below market cost, since it sets a new price record. But subsidized? What makes you think it's subsidized?

https://www.ifw-kiel.de/fileadmin/Dateiverwaltung/IfW-Public...

Is an EU commissioned study. According to Bloomberg, it says BVD got billions of euros: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-10/byd-got-3...

Re: The $10k BYD Seagull EV is scaring the U.S. auto industry

#30

Post by leereeves »

paxys wrote: post #22
foobarian wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Should be safe to allow imports then, right? Since nobody but me would buy one. :-)

Who says imports aren't allowed?

Imports have to satisfy all the US regulations.

To quote from a link someone else posted:

> Most Chinese cars haven’t been engineered with US safety regulations in mind; just going through those protocols is an expensive and elaborate process.

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