The Chinese automaker BYD found itself at the center of a huge discussion after the publication of statistics regarding legal proceedings involving car bloggers and content creators.
The company took first place among EV manufacturers in the total number of lawsuits filed against influencers and independent reviewers. The total amount of claims reached 6.9263 billion yuan, which is equivalent to around 1.02 billion USD.
These cases are linked to publications that BYD considers defamatory, misleading to consumers or damaging to the brand’s business reputation. Over the past two years, the Chinese EV market has transformed not only into the biggest automotive market in the world, but also into one of the most aggressive information environments. Manufacturers now compete not only through technology and pricing, but also for influence on social media.
In China, car bloggers play a huge role in shaping public opinion. Many of them have audiences of several million subscribers, and reviews of new models can directly influence sales. As a result, companies have become tougher toward negative publications.
According to analysts, the majority of lawsuits are linked to claims about battery problems, build quality, actual sales volumes and the company’s financial condition. Some authors also published materials about hidden defects and overstated EV range figures.
