Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has issued a public apology following the confirmation of an assembly mistake affecting units of its newly released Great Tang electric SUV, known domestically as the Datang. The issue was brought to light after multiple vehicle owners voiced complaints across social media platforms, pointing out that the wider wheel rims designated for the rear of the vehicle had been incorrectly mounted on the front axle. Conversely, the narrower wheel rims intended for the front of the car were discovered on the back, causing a noticeable mix-up in the vehicle configuration.
Responding swiftly to the consumer reports, BYD launched an immediate internal investigation into the manufacturing lines. According to the company, the tracking of the problem led directly to a Hubei-based wheel mesh assembly supplier responsible for the component integration. BYD stated that the manufacturing flaw has already been corrected at the source, and the supplier has introduced a dedicated visual inspection mechanism directly on the production line to ensure that future vehicle rollouts remain entirely unaffected by similar mix-ups.
Key takeaways
- BYD confirmed a wheel assembly error on its flagship Great Tang electric SUV.
- Wider rear wheel rims were mistakenly installed on the front, and vice versa.
- The automaker traced the manufacturing mistake to a Hubei-based supplier.
- BYD promised free rim replacements, financial compensation, and a warranty restart.
Remediation plan and owner compensation
Although BYD declined to disclose the exact total number of vehicles impacted by the assembly error, the company maintained that there were no underlying safety risks associated with the inverted wheel installation. Despite asserting that the configuration posed no direct danger, the automaker has established a comprehensive compensation and repair plan for affected customers. BYD announced that it will replace the wheel rims on all impacted vehicles entirely free of charge to restore the correct factory specifications.
In addition to the hardware corrections, the automaker will provide affected owners with a temporary replacement vehicle or monetary compensation to cover transportation expenses incurred while their Great Tang SUVs are undergoing repairs at service centers. As an added measure of customer goodwill, BYD confirmed that it will restart the vehicle warranty period for all owners affected by the manufacturing oversight.
Market impact and upcoming expansion
The Great Tang SUV originally debuted in the Chinese market in March, launching with a starting price of roughly $40,000. The flagship vehicle quickly accumulated massive domestic demand, securing a total of 150,000 orders within its home country. Despite the current manufacturing hiccup and subsequent recall-style remedy, BYD maintains its ongoing strategic plans to expand availability of the electric vehicle into various European and other Asian markets outside of China before the end of this year or early 2027.
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