BYD, Tesla's Chinese rival, is accused by another brand of failing to meet emission standards for its PHEV cars

All automotive brands in China are fully committed to a love affair with electrified and electric vehicles. This is why it is surprising to see a Chinese manufacturer accusing another of practicing fraud during the approval of two of its PHEV (plug-in hybrid vehicle) models.

Great Wall Auto , the maker of ORA cars , among others, claims to have notified Chinese regulatory authorities of possible emissions violations by two BYD PHEV models .

Great Wall Motors, in a statement posted on its official WeChat account, expresses doubts regarding the use of atmospheric pressure fuel tanks in the hybrid PHEV BYD Qin Plus DM-i and Song Plus DM-i models , which could lead to non-compliance with evaporative emission standards.

Although Great Wall Motors has not provided evidence to support its claims, the company says it has submitted the necessary documents to the relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of 'Industry and Information, as well as the main regulator of the Chinese market.

In response, BYD Auto issued a categorical statement opposing any form of unfair competition and reserving the right to take legal action against Great Wall. BYD says it does not recognize the assessment made by Great Wall and intends to "protect the interests of the company by legal means".

Breaking the Emissions Law

BYD Song

Great Wall accuses BYD of using atmospheric pressure fuel tanks on its two models, which leads to faster fuel evaporation compared to a pressurized tank.

In the case of the PHEV cars mentioned by Great Wall, this problem is of particular importance, because in theory, the gasoline should remain in the tank longer, since the hybrid system favors exclusively electric driving. Therefore, there are regulations to limit gaseous emissions , including evaporation in the tank.

On a practical level, it is far from being a question of software aimed at deceiving a diesel engine to distort the homologation tests. However, even if the final emissions are slightly higher, this would still be illegal.

BYD Qin Plus MI-i

BYD has shipped over 800,000 units of its Qin Plus DM-i and Song Plus DM-i models to China. If Chinese authorities conclude that BYD has committed fraud, it could lead to a massive recall to replace the fuel tanks of all Qin Plus DM-i and Song Plus DM-i vehicles already sold.

What's notable about this case, at least from our perspective, is that Great Wall's public complaint against BYD pits two Chinese industry giants against each other. Great Wall, which has CKD assembly plants outside China, including Ecuador, is the first Chinese automaker to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. On the other hand, BYD is the world's second-largest maker of electric cars, owning an electric bus factory in Hungary and planning to open a car factory in Europe.

Thus, the stakes of this conflict are not limited to BYD. Great Wall is also involved, exposing a small crack in Chinese industry to the rest of the world. This shows that not all players in this industry come together as the expectations of local communities suggest.

BYD alludes to this fact in its statement saying that "we hope everyone will act in the interests of the Chinese industry and brands." This unspoken reminder highlights the challenges faced in developing advanced technologies such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).