Wang Chuanfu's recent words at the extraordinary general meeting were quite un-businesslike.

He said BYD, as the industry leader, must set a good example and be willing to endure grievances; it would rather lose some growth for a month or two, or even a quarter, in exchange for long-term reputation. And then came the even more direct line:

“We can be bullied, but we cannot bully others.”

That sounds magnanimous, but for ordinary people buying a car, you can't be swayed by vision alone. BYD certainly has its strengths, but when it comes time to spend real money, you still have to ask: Does this car truly serve your daily needs?

01. Wang Chuanfu’s Message: Not About “Grievances,” but “Long-Term Reputation”

Many companies love to talk about sentiment, but what consumers ultimately care about is whether the car works well. Wang Chuanfu made it clear this time: BYD is willing to sacrifice some short-term growth for long-term reputation. That carries weight in the auto industry. Because a car isn’t a phone—if you buy the wrong one, you can’t just endure it for a year and replace it. For a family, a car may be driven for three to five years or longer.

Short-term sales can be boosted by price, publicity, and hype, but reputation is different.

Reputation means the infotainment system doesn’t fail during morning rush hour; it means the air conditioning, seats, and rear-seat experience don’t annoy you when picking up kids; it means that on long trips, charging, energy consumption, and reliability don’t suddenly teach you a lesson; and it means that when problems arise, the brand has the attitude to solve them.

BYD says it wants to set an example as a leader—that sounds grand. But when it comes down to the simple matter of buying a car, it boils down to one sentence:

Car companies can talk about vision, but consumers only recognize actual experience.

02. Technology Is Confidence, but Don’t Equate “Strong Technology” with “Suitable for You”

The speech also contained a key piece of information: Wang Chuanfu mentioned that BYD has technological depth and a combination of technologies, and it wants to impress consumers with higher-level technology.

This is indeed BYD’s strongest card.

From the information given this time, BYD is not afraid of head-on technological competition. The video also mentioned that it has had tough experiences in patent litigation related to lithium batteries, IGBTs, and energy storage. This reveals a typical engineering culture: if you want to talk tech, bring something solid.

But this is also where the biggest pitfall lies when buying a car.

Strong technology does not mean every car suits every family; a big brand does not mean you won’t regret whichever model you choose.

For example, if you’re buying a new energy vehicle, do you have a fixed charging setup at home? How far is your daily commute? Do you frequently take long trips on weekends? Are there elderly or children in the family? Do you care more about saving money or about a smooth driving experience? These questions matter more than brand buzz.

In short, BYD’s technological roadmap and scale advantages are its confidence, but your personal usage scenario is the final answer.

With the same budget, do you value daily convenience more, or do you care more about a certain technology sounding advanced? If you don’t think this through, buying a car might turn from “supporting domestic brands” into “fighting with yourself every day.”

03. Not Trashing Others Is Good, but Consumers Shouldn’t Be Led by Emotions

Wang Chuanfu said BYD must not bully others and should become an industry role model.

I agree with that attitude.

China’s auto industry desperately needs less mudslinging and more effort into making good cars. Competition between automakers should return to real factors: products, technology, service, price transparency. Whoever has reliable range, convenient charging, fast after-sales response, and stable safety and quality will naturally earn consumers’ votes.

But there’s also a practical problem: the hotter the industry discourse, the easier it is for consumers to be swept up by emotions.

Some people automatically overlook a brand’s shortcomings because they like it; others fail to see its progress because they dislike it. Neither approach is suitable for buying a car for daily use.

BYD now has a large scale, many models, and high attention. Many people love it, and many will find faults. From a consumer’s perspective, the best thing to do is not to argue for any brand, but to keep a tight grip on your money.

Whether a car is good depends on whether it suits you.

Whether you should buy a car depends on whether the price, benefits, test-drive experience, after-sales convenience, and usage conditions align with your life.

Brand vision can add points, but it can’t park, charge, maintain, pick up kids, or take long trips for you.

04. My Caveat on BYD: Don’t Treat “Leader” as a Free Pass

BYD is now the leader—that’s an industry consensus. But being a leader is not a free pass.

The bigger the brand, the more scrutiny it should accept. When consumers buy BYD, they shouldn’t do so just because it has large sales volumes, impressive tech jargon, or a founder with great speeches. You need to look at the specific performance of each model.

I’ll hold my opinion here because this information is more about brand attitude, corporate strategy, and technology direction. It doesn’t provide details on price, configuration, range, space, chassis, noise insulation, or charging conditions for any particular model.

So,

If you’re considering a BYD model, I wouldn’t recommend placing an order based solely on this speech.

You should at least do three things:

  • First, take a test drive—and don’t just test acceleration. Test low-speed follow, turning, parking, bumpy roads, air conditioning, infotainment, and seats in everyday scenarios.
  • Second, tell the salesperson your usage conditions. Whether you have home charging, whether you drive on highways, how many family members you have, and whether elderly people sit in the back—these are more critical than spec sheets.
  • Third, ask clearly about price, benefits, delivery, after-sales, and maintenance. Don’t just listen to “it’s a great deal right now.” The words on the contract are what will truly govern your life with the car.

05. Should You Buy a BYD Now? My Direct Advice

Who is BYD suitable for?

For those who embrace the new energy path, are willing to compare specific models carefully, and whose usage scenarios match the product’s strengths. For example, people with stable daily commutes, clear family needs, and a focus on long-term usage costs and the brand’s technical accumulation can put BYD on their shortlist.

Who is it not suitable for?

Not for those who want to place an order purely on passion. Nor for those who buy just because “everyone else is buying.” Especially for users who haven’t clarified charging conditions, actual driving radius, or passenger needs—and rush to pay a deposit—slow down.

My purchase advice:

Conditional consideration.

BYD is worth looking at and test-driving, but don’t deify it. Wang Chuanfu’s remarks show a large company’s determination to build long-term reputation—that’s certainly good. But what ultimately determines whether you’ll regret your purchase isn’t the applause at the shareholders’ meeting, but whether the car takes good care of your daily life every time you open the door and get in.

By the way, prices and offers may vary by region, so check with your local store.

If you’re ready to buy a BYD, what bothers you most: brand reputation, specific model experience, or price and benefits? Leave a comment below—no arguing for automakers, let’s settle our own accounts.