this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2026
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And why is it so relatively cheap? Where did they cut corners? Are they spying on you like the cheap Chinese TVs? It can’t be just because it’s government subsidized.
The Chinese government is subsidizing them to gain market share just like American tech companies do with VC funding.
One way the Chinese government is "subsidizing" their cars is by suppressing the living standards of its people.
That and their industry doesn't appear to be as bloated and shareholder-driven.
You mean letting billionaires avoid tax, adding tariffs to everything, and driving up the price of gas?
Chinese people don't invest in stocks because you'd have to be a fool to compete with the Chinese government as an investor. Returns are perpetually suppressed.
JFC Lemmy... BYD is a public company and was originally funded by Warren Buffet. He made almost 9 billion.
Key figures and findings regarding BYD's government funding include:
The Kiel Institute Study (2018–2022): A widely cited study by Germany’s Kiel Institute for the World Economy estimated that BYD received approximately $3.7 billion (€3.4 billion) in direct government subsidies between 2018 and 2022.
Scaling Support: State aid to the company ramped up significantly over time. For example, out of the $3.7 billion tracked through 2022, a major share—roughly $2.2 billion—was awarded in 2022 alone.
Annual Financial Disclosures: BYD regularly lists government grants, subsidies, and R&D support in its public financial reports. For instance, annual filings have shown billions of yuan in recurring state backing channeled into specific production lines and technological innovations.
Broader Context
While the $3.7 billion figure covers tracked direct corporate aid, international trade analysts and economists point out that BYD's total structural advantages also stem from wider government policies. These include:
Supply Chain Subsidies: Extensive state backing upstream in the EV supply chain, particularly for battery manufacturers (such as localized support for lithium processing and battery cell production).
Infrastructure and Operational Perks: Access to heavily subsidized land, cheap electricity, and localized tax incentives designed to accelerate China's green technology and clean energy sectors.
Basically, the only thing the US failed to do from this list was a successful pivot to green technologies and the cheap, abundant electricity they could provide. There were many plans that had plans to process and build lithium batteries, that were dismantled after Trump 2.
Honestly I do think the US should do this too. But as China is currently the only one doing it on this scale, it is vastly skewing market dynamics.
I would prefer no spying. But with the US being a fascist surveillance state run by greedy billionaires, American cars are no better. Either pick one from a functioning liberal country or focus on the tech. China is clearly ahead on tech.
The motive isn't to extract as much capital out of the customers as possible.
They are spying yes,all the others are too which doesnt make it ok but that is why it is subsidised by the state.
They cut corners on comfort and noise levels from my experience of similar brands
Rather would get spied on by domestic corps than foreign ones.
Boot licking mentality
Oh so you'd like to rather lick the foreign boot?
Very nice.
American, Russian, Chinese or Israeli?
Why? The domestic corps actually have access to you to use that information. What's china gonna do with my data that is gonna affect me 12k miles away?
Coorporate with other entitities and then sell a full picture on me to the local authorities?
Idk mate. Honestly.
How about no spying? Can we do that?