[Sandy Damodaran]

Like GTO Said, they have bet the Kitchen sink, Kitchen and the house on EV's! IF i ever buy an EV, It would definitely be chinese, from a reputed manufacturer like MG or BYD.

The real question is, will you buy an Indian EV! Given the long littany of issues and niggles Indian manufacturers have had with a regular ICE vehicle, I wouldn't touch an Indian Manufacturer's EV. Be it Tata/Mahindra or Ola.

The baseline is, to buy an EV, I would prefer one desgined ground up as an EV, insetead of an ICE converted to an EV.

[ron178]

It is certainly an interesting question and recently I had a similar conversation with someone who has shortlisted a BYD Atto 3. What is hard to deny is how competent some of these new products are. Top-notch battery technology, equipment, safety (let's keep the MG Comet aside for this discussion), style and good build quality. With a more reliable badge I would buy one in a jiffy. By reliable I mean a brand that is certain to stay in India long enough.

Presently, apart from MG, it is a little scary to recommend brands like BYD with little presence in the Indian PV segment and whose products aren't exactly easy on the wallet. It is already hard enough for many to make the switch to EVs and a sudden Ford/GM might leave a sour taste about the powertrain altogether. But as someone said above, if I was living elsewhere I would certainly consider them.

We are also missing out on some important players like GWM (I adore the Ora Good Cat and Haval H6/Jolion especially) and the higher-end ones like NIO/XPeng (not that a car with that name would sell wonders in India, and neither would BYD's YangWang). Perhaps with more of them here the Chinese would be easier to recommend, although my emotional side hopes Tata hijacks those segments too before there is a chance for that to happen. I am cautiously optimistic about Mahindra's BE series too, although they would have to try much harder than the XUV400.

It is not like MG or BYD India are simply distributing CBUs either, both assemble locally at the very least and with EVs a lot of Chinese components are inevitable be it Tata or Tesla, so I personally choose to put the patriotic part aside. But I certainly understand why someone would not want to.

[Freespirit27]

Never liked the Chinese ethics of creeping in and taking over. It is not that they cant make good cars or products, it is just that they are always trying to make a Minimum Viable Product in each segment and over pricing it (but still able to undercut local products because of their scale of manufacturing)! Look at any cheapest product on Amazon- it is most likely to be Chinese and they will quietly use subterfuge in describing the country of origin, so that only when you receive the product, you find its Chinese
Coming back to automobiles - see how Benelli sneaked in on Italian name and vanished; before that there were all these fly-by-night kind, small 2-wheeler EV manufacturers whom you would not find when you needed a battery replacement or had a motor issue; then they tried stealing TVS designs. Take any Chinese owned foreign brand- the designs are atrocious! They are ethically sneaky and have even worse labour laws than India in order to achieve these impossible targets!
Cheeni kam and if possible abstain - it will be good for health! Money is definitely not everything.

[chennai-indian]

I will never consider a Chinese vehicle EV/Non EV.

[aadiaksh]

The reason to not consider Chinese EV is govt stance on Chinese companies. It keeps getting strict. If you purchase an EV now and 4 years down the line if govt decides we don't want Chinese presence in this sector, customer is at a loss.

No other reason. If a product is good, why not buy it?

[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver85

Hello TBHPians,

I want to understand what is the appetite of my fellow BHPians to own a well priced EV made by a Chinese manufacturer.

I voted NO.
Maybe it will change in future in case there are only Chinese car makers left.

However - my answers to the questions mentioned in the OP, will be extremely contradictory to that vote!

Questions to answer:

1) Would you consider EV made by a Chinese manufacturer if not now, maybe 5 years down the lane? Yes/No. What are the reasons

I love them already. I'm in fact a fan of the Atto3! What a nicely engineered product. Not just cars - pretty much in every aspect of technology - the Chinese have mastered the game - of innovation as well as that of copying & improving. Hats off to them. I'd not consider buying a Chinese car - as an emotional statement. Head will say this is a good product - take it. But I rarely take a decision using my head.

I just cannot buy a car - i.e. an extremely pricey finished product with huge emblems glorifying China - from a horribly hostile country. A country that doesn't mind harming my brave countrymen or funding one of the most caustic terrorist countries in the world. NO China, sorry!
I know that pretty much everything that I buy - is either made in China or has components made in China. No way around it - heck I used to even buy from AliExpress once in a while (pre covid when such electronic products were available only on AliExpress!). But still - I want to make a statement that I do not wish to flaunt something as big as a car from China, or show my acceptance of Chinese monopoly. Its perhaps like wearing a black ribbon on the arm, to make a symbolic protest. I don't necessarily need a car, let alone one from China. So I can always find something else, maybe not as good; won't break the world for me.

2) At what price point compared to the current Nexon EV Long Range? Below or above?

Doesn't matter. If I like a car - I don't do much calculations of the pricing, especially not relative to something else. I just don't buy cars on loan, thats what defines what I buy, not relative prices to something else. So no - this won't really be a deciding factor if I were ever to buy a Chinese made car.

3) Would you wait for other markets experiences to see how durable these products would be in the long before deciding?

I never look at others' experience. I take a plunge and learn it the hard way . And - I am a firm believer that Chinese are excellent at making high quality, complex & high fidelity stuff at the right price point (ok government funded). So no need to wait at all. They are top of the class already.

4) What is your biggest concern with a Chinese made EV? (Durability/Reliability? Data Privacy? Build quality/Quality concerns?

Absolutely no concern. Nobody comes near them when it comes to Li Ion related equipment and especially cars. Even others that are making such equipment, are heavily dependent on the Chinese. Already Chinese made cars have proven their credentials in excellent performance, high quality build & features as well as superb results in recognized crash tests.

And there is no such thing as data privacy. Anyone thinking there is, is following Ostrich algorithm IMHO.

Cheers!

[Livnletcarsliv]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver85

Questions to answer:
1) Would you consider EV made by a Chinese manufacturer if not now, maybe 5 years down the lane? Yes/No. What are the reasons
2) At what price point compared to the current Nexon EV Long Range? Below or above?
3) Would you wait for other markets experiences to see how durable these products would be in the long before deciding?
4) What is your biggest concern with a Chinese made EV? (Durability/Reliability? Data Privacy? Build quality/Quality concerns?

I voted NO.
Now here are my answers to your questions

1. I will not buy a Chinese automobile let alone an EV "for now" and I dont think it will change in the next 5-10 years. The main reasons are 2
1a. Trade deficit of India with China of approx. $87billion (while we cannot make it 0, at least lets try to reduce it)
1b. The attitude and stance of Chinese/China towards Indians/India which they consider us low down.

2. Nexon is not a born EV. So Atto 3/Comet is not a comparison to Nexon, where the formers are better products without a second thought. While MG ZS is to some extent can be compared to Nexon, as a product, MG ZS is significantly better than the Nexon. Being a current and ex Tata owner, my experience with Tata is not so good. So I will rate ZS EV much better than Nexon in terms of product, experience, range even if it is a little expensive.

3. Chinese cars including EVs are reliable enough depending on the brand and model where China unlike India (only 2 brands - Tata and M&M) have numerous brands both in EV space as well as ICE space. So reliability/durability is not a question/concern at all.

4. Concerns are more than just the product. For eg - data privacy, data manipulation, data transformation, data sourcing, brand and business motive, business structure, government policies, government stance, etc, etc. China is a communist country and India is a democracy. So every Chinese brand will have a STRONG influence of the its own government in every business move. But it's different in India. So my concerns are not just limited to products i.e. in this case EVs, after all "I do have enough non-Chinese alternatives in the market as finished product".

[manjubp]

For me car also needs to connect emotionally and also from safety and security point of view.

All these EVs which are connected, especially with server in china, I will never trust.

[MT_Hyderabad]

If it is ISI marked (approved), yes.

Jokes apart, I will neither buy a Chinese nor any other EV for the next 2, 3 years at least.

I still enjoy fueling my car once every 10 days.

[Briarean]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver85

https://indianautosblog.com/3-chines...rating-p326287

Hello TBHPians,

I want to understand what is the appetite of my fellow BHPians to own a well priced EV made by a Chinese manufacturer.

-

Depending on our history with China, before owning Chinese products, it becomes essential to balance product value with emotions or concerns about China.

Personal Emotions:

• Geopolitical: For us Indians, negative emotions are tied to our geopolitical issues or disputes with China. The decision to avoid Chinese products due to such issues is even more influenced by national policies, trade restrictions, and/or personal beliefs.

• Moderate vs Conservative: Providing quality products, better competition to other manufacturers, and jobs to thousands VS my money can be used against my country. This is a conflict between Practical and Principle. Strictly personal choice !

• Alternatives: What options do we have, to explore cars from other manufacturers that align with our values and Product values?

• Balanced Perspective? : While China is a major manufacturing hub, products often consist of components from various countries. Avoiding Chinese products entirely might be challenging, as these components are often integrated into global supply chains. Similarly, arguments can also be made on the basis of the positives of having a Chinese company / Subsidiary in our country (kind of Win-Win situation).
o Are they allowing technology transfer?
o Will the competition give our country and our manufacturers a much-needed push to adopt a better approach to fight back and produce a quality product?

• Ethical Concerns? : Ethical concerns about China, such as human rights issues or environmental practices, blah blah blah … Leave it!

Product Value:

• Quality and Performance: As of now, there is no match for Chinese Tech in the EV domain. Evaluating Chinese EVs’ quality, performance, and features and comparing them with other EVs is challenging.

• Price and Affordability: Are the Chinese cars competitively priced, which can provide excellent value for consumers? I do not think so.

• Warranty and After-Sales Support: Consider the warranty and after-sales support offered by the manufacturer or retailer. A strong warranty and responsive customer support can add value to a product. Does a Chinese company provide better ASS value and experience, than an Indian manufacturer?

We must also understand that our emotions for our country should not be used against substandard products and services from our Indian manufacturers as well.

After considering all these parameters, we can try to find an equivalent and compare. Do we have one? If yes, great! If not, can we wait or go for Chinese (personal vs product value)?

Ultimately, the decision to purchase Chinese EVs should be based on a balanced assessment of the specific product's attributes and your personal values and concerns. While there are valid geopolitical considerations to be taken into account, it's essential to make informed choices that align with our priorities and values, recognizing that the global marketplace is interconnected, and sourcing is complex.

Questions to answer:
1) Would you consider EV made by a Chinese manufacturer if not now, maybe 5 years down the lane? Yes/No. What are the reasons

Now? Only If there are no other option. after 5 years, nope.

2) At what price point compared to the current Nexon EV Long Range? Below or above?

Below might be crap and too much above cannot be justified.

3) Would you wait for other markets experiences to see how durable these products would be in the long before deciding?

Definitely.

4) What is your biggest concern with a Chinese made EV? (Durability/Reliability? Data Privacy? Build quality/Quality concerns?
.

Data Privacy & Geopolitics. A conflict can delay the sourcing from China for months.


• Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.
• Who wishes to fight must first count the cost.
• All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

~ The Art of War - Sun Tzu

I voted NO!

[Pam81]

Voted "No"

Personally, you can look in 2 ways.

#1. Accept that Chinese made things really got deeply rooted now in our everyday lives (Phones / TVs and what not) - mostly not much of choice here.

#2. Try to do your bit by staying away from Chinese stuff in best possible ways you can when you have a choice. I believe, in Cars, definitely we have a choice to make.

I chose to go with 2nd way!

In a related personal thought, I hate that we are, as a nation, becoming just like US in terms of consumerism and the whole world sees us only a market for consumption and not really heeds any respect for local needs! Sure, traders galore but is that what we really need for long decades to come? In the name of entrepreneurship (with due respect to all that create something), we end up becoming traders of foreign products. Countries who thrived on import really became dependent on the same forever unless they start to create indigenously. At last, GOVT woke up, I am trying to do my bit to support the same!

[dhanushs]

Especially with EV's I think its becoming hard to not buy one of those chinese cars. Also, the newer EV's like the MG's and BYD's are well rounded products with good quality and infact better than some mainstream manufacturers products.

I dont think why someone should not be buying a Chinese EV, especially if you think the very gadget you are typing this message has also most of its components from China.

[Briarean]

Originally Posted by cpabhijit

Slightly off topic maybe, but the number of Chinese EV companies is mind blowing! Where were they before this? How is it that Huawei is into EVs, Mi is into EVs and practically everyone on the street is making an EV!? What changed? Was ICE the only stumbling block to making a car? The car has thousands of other parts to it apart from what makes it move! How is it that all these companies have suddenly mastered it! I just don't get it.

There is a similar thread where you should get your answers.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...e-china-2.html (Why do we not have more Indian car companies mushrooming like China?)

[Sinner666]

Voted No!

As much as I hate the blatant copying of design elements and other aspects, I hate to say that we must slowly accept that the Chinese are far ahead in the EV game than anyone else. It seems to be only a matter of time, before they become the byword for EV. Mostly a matter of how long we will be able to resist.

I live in Thailand, where BYD recently launched the BYD Seal, and comparisons on local auto mags & channels are with the Porsche Taycan. This, I reckon is a landmark moment, as Chinese EVs are now being compared with a luxury sports car, and not mainstream car manufacturers.

Although, I accept that comparisons on paper vs. real life driving experiences may vary greatly, even the mere fact that such comparisons have started popping up says a lot about where the game is headed. Given the battery replacement costs, the longevity offered by established brands may not be as big a factor as with conventional ICE vehicles.

I would like to close saying the BYD Seal is actually quite a looker in flesh, and have been spotting a lot more on the roads recently.

[svsantosh]

Voted - YES

I had a touch and feel of BYD ATTO3 in Dubai. It is amazing except for a minor detail missing of Frunk, looks silly without a cover. Fit and finish and funky interior is right up there.

In Comparison to a 180,000 AED Tesla-3, a 150,000 AED BYD ATTO3 is marginally cheaper. Wish BYD makes it more attractive compared to a Tesla.

PS - Other contender is the VW ID 3 @ 180-190k AED. It is bigger than BYD ATTO3 and has VW name to back it up.