The intensifying rivalry between China’s leading electric vehicle manufacturers has taken a new turn as the prolonged dispute between BYD and Great Wall Motor (GWM) over emissions compliance escalates. Adding to the tension, the chairman of Geely has publicly criticized BYD for instigating a price war in the Chinese market.
The conflict dates back to 2023 when GWM lodged a complaint against BYD with Chinese regulatory authorities, accusing their two best-selling hybrid models of failing to meet emission standards.
This issue resurfaced last month when Mr. Wei Jianjun, Chairman of GWM, expressed concerns about the ongoing price war. He confirmed that the investigation into BYD by the Chinese regulators was still underway.
In response, BYD has dismissed Mr. Wei’s remarks about the state of the Chinese automotive industry as “exaggerated” but refrained from commenting on the emission issue. Previously, BYD had denied GWM’s allegations, asserting that their vehicles met China’s emission standards.
On June 7, 2025, Mr. Victor Yang, Vice President of Geely, publicly supported GWM’s allegations at an auto conference in Chongqing. Mr. Yang stated that Geely had conducted separate emission tests on BYD vehicles and reached similar conclusions.
“Wei Jianjun is an honest man and a whistleblower for our industry,” Mr. Yang said in videos posted by The Paper and other local media outlets.
Chinese EV makers turn on BYD as price war escalates.
GWM’s allegations center on BYD’s use of non-pressurized fuel tanks in their Qin Plus and Song Plus models, which cause fuel to evaporate faster than pressurized tanks.
Mr. Li Yunfei, General Manager of Brand Communication and Public Relations at BYD, responded to Geely’s comments on his personal Weibo account on June 8, 2025. He stated that the non-pressurized fuel tanks were used from 2021 to 2023 and complied with legal requirements at that time. BYD has since changed the design following customer complaints. However, just a day later, Mr. Li’s social media post disappeared without explanation.
This dispute escalates amidst a highly competitive Chinese electric vehicle market, as BYD’s new promotional programs, including slashing the price of its cheapest model to 55,800 yuan ($8,600), have triggered a stock sell-off in the automotive sector. China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has called on businesses to end the price war and summoned carmakers to a meeting last week.
Meanwhile, Chinese auto dealers have appealed to automakers to stop dumping excess inventory on them. The price war is straining cash flow, reducing profits, and forcing some dealers to shut down.
The China Automobile Dealers Association stated that dealers’ business conditions are becoming “increasingly severe” due to deep discounts since the second quarter of this year. The association proposed that automakers set reasonable annual production and sales targets, refrain from dumping inventory on dealers, and pressurizing them to stock up. Additionally, they suggested shortening the payment cycle for dealers and preventing dealers from being forced out of the distribution system or closing down under the guise of network optimization.
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Unveiling the Haval Raptor: Retaining its Off-Road Charms with a Rugged Facelift
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Great Wall Motor has unveiled the latest addition to its lineup – the Haval Raptor. This new variant boasts a traditional internal combustion engine, offering a different option to the current plug-in hybrid model available in China. With this reveal, the automaker teases an exciting prospect for car enthusiasts who appreciate the classic appeal of combustion engines.
