BYD has apologised after some of its Datang EV flagship SUVs left the factory with their front and rear wheel rims fitted the wrong way round, blaming a coding error at a supplier.
Owners complained that the rims had been fitted in the wrong positions, with some discovering the problem during inspections at service centres. The complaints mainly involved the 2026 Datang EV rear-wheel-drive version with 950km of range, which uses 8J rims with 255mm tyres at the front and wider 9J rims with 275mm tyres at the rear.
In a statement on Weibo on Wednesday, BYD said the error was caused by incorrect coding at Hubei Boyu Industrial, which supplies its wheel and tyre assemblies. “We deeply apologise for the trouble this has caused owners,” the company said.
BYD said specialised testing had found that the incorrectly fitted rims did not affect handling or create a safety risk. It has not said how many vehicles are affected.
What owners get
Owners can have their cars inspected and the rims replaced free of charge at service centres, with a temporary replacement car or compensation for transport costs. The full-vehicle warranty on affected cars restarts from Wednesday.
BYD said it had checked the production process and corrected the coding, and the supplier has added visual error-proofing checks to its line. BYD said it would review its own procedures and work with the supplier on further improvements.
Quality crackdown
The apology comes during a year-long national campaign by four Chinese government departments, launched in August, covering production consistency, reliability, durability and the testing of new technology. On 15 October, officials from four authorities met more than 30 carmakers to press for stronger safety management and testing.
The Datang EV is BYD’s largest electric SUV and sits at the top of its Dynasty range. It launched on 17 June at RMB 239,900 to 309,900 (approx. US$35,300 to 45,600), with a 5,263mm body, seven seats and up to 950km of CLTC range.
