A BYD Seal electric vehicle is displayed during a BYD store opening at the car dealership Sternauto in Berlin, Germany on Jan 31, 2024. — Reuters
SHENZHEN, China: China’s BYD was a battery manufacturer trying its hand at building cars when it showed off its newest model in 2007. American executives at the Guangzhou auto show gaped at the car’s uneven purple paint job and the poor fit of its doors.
“They were the laughingstock of the industry,” said Michael Dunne, a China auto industry analyst.
