China’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer, BYD, is once again embroiled in a product safety crisis. On the 28th, BYD announced the recall of 88,981 plug-in hybrid cars due to battery safety concerns. Just weeks before, the electric car maker had conducted its largest recall to date.
According to an announcement from China’s State Administration for Market Regulation on Friday, BYD is recalling 88,981 Qin PLUS DM-i vehicles due to extreme situations where the pure electric mode may not be usable.
BYD Automotive Industry Co., Ltd. is recalling a total of 52,890 Qin PLUS DM-i vehicles produced between September 26, 2021, and September 23, 2023. BYD Auto Co., Ltd. is recalling 36,091 Qin PLUS DM-i vehicles produced between January 7, 2021, and September 30, 2022.
The reason for the recall, as disclosed, is the inconsistency in power battery packs during production, which may limit the output power of the battery. In extreme cases, the pure electric mode may not be operational, posing a safety risk.
The solution involves remote upgrading (OTA) technology, providing free software upgrades for vehicles within the recall range. When an abnormality in the power battery is detected, the instrument panel will light up the power battery fault indicator, prompting users to visit the store for a free replacement of the power battery pack.
BYD is facing a dilemma of declining sales and profits. So far this year, the company has recalled over 210,000 vehicles, including nearly 7,000 plug-in hybrid SUVs.
In mid-October, due to design flaws and battery-related safety risks, BYD announced its largest recall to date, involving over 115,000 Tang and Yuan Pro models produced between 2015 and 2022.
In October, BYD’s sales decreased by 12% compared to the same period last year, marking the first monthly sales decline in 19 months for the company. The company’s profit for the third quarter had declined by 33% previously.
In September 2024, BYD recalled nearly 97,000 Dolphin and Yuan Plus electric vehicles due to a manufacturing defect in the steering control unit that could lead to fires.
In recent years, mainland China’s domestically produced electric vehicles have frequently encountered accidents, with negative incidents involving BYD surfacing frequently. However, due to the Chinese government’s extensive subsidies to develop domestically produced electric vehicles and its aggressive push into the international market, negative news about domestic electric vehicles often faces tight suppression by authorities and car manufacturers.