this post was submitted on 08 Apr 2026
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I'm tired of the way things are and am actually excited for BYD. They build really great electric vehicles and I saw one video where it charged up just as fact as refueling gasoline would be

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[–] observantTrapezium@lemmy.ca 57 points 4 days ago (3 children)

I can't wait for public transit to suck less in Canada.

[–] mrdown@lemmy.world 13 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)
[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

WestCoast is building more Skytrain infrastructure right now, and proposing new buslines. Dedicated bikelane proposals are also out for public review on best options. You just have to live in the parts of Canada that care about health and environment.

[–] mrdown@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

The metro system in montreal is getting worse and worse. The new montreal mayor is not a big fan of bike lane either

[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 days ago

That is unfortunate, there is so much data out there on cities that went with bike lanes and transit and how it had health benefits for everyone (not just the walkers and bikers)

[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 days ago

We've got new skytrain lines being built in metro Vancouver right now, as well as public surveys on new busline proposals, and road conversion to dedicated bike lanes.

Good luck in Ontario though where DF is actively trying to halt health and progress for its residents

While it's exciting to have more EV options, we don't know about how brand's long term ownership is going like in NA yet.

They should have reliable network and infra for maintenance, repair and services. We'll see it unfolds in a few years.

Yes I agree on investing more public transportation but it's not going to happen anytime soon.

[–] seathru@quokk.au 21 points 4 days ago (3 children)
[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

At least the govt tries to stop it, instead of instituting it.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Same thing happened in Brazil.

If you buy a BYD you're buying something blatantly made with slave labor, and not some far off supplier that might hide it from them.

[–] BevsDad@lemmy.ca 6 points 4 days ago

How else do you expect them to build affordable consumer products? Kids need less food and space so why not use that to their advantage alongside genocidal government subsidies? /s

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

They build really great electric vehicles

Sure, and everything on TEMU is great.

I saw one video where it charged up just as fact as refueling gasoline would be

Those chargers do not exist in Canada. If they did, Doug Ford would rip them out.

[–] Witchfire@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

He'd replace them with bike lanes just to have the opportunity to rip up yet another bike lane

[–] stylusmobilus@aussie.zone 1 points 2 days ago

Yeah they’re very popular here in Australia, they’re everywhere

Every driver of one I’ve asked is really happy with it and them too.

[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 11 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

As long as they aren't a phone home device like the Superbox TV streaming devices.

Ironically another BYD post below this one https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/byd-hungary-china-labour-watch-9.7154249

[–] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 9 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Why is BYD the only Chinese EV company that people talk about? There are other options that are just as good (and by many measures better).

[–] Couldbealeotard@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Because they are very cheap for an EV but they don't feel cheap when you experience them.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

Talk to us in 5 salty years of CDN winters.

[–] skankhunt42@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 days ago

But is everything computer?

[–] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 1 points 3 days ago

But, again, they aren't the only ones in that category.

[–] Nils@lemmy.ca 7 points 4 days ago (3 children)

I hope they bring their electric buses too.

[–] Vex_Detrause@lemmy.ca 6 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Don't we have a pretty good electric bus factory in Manitoba? I thought New Flyer is doing good cause most new bus here are electric.

[–] Nils@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 days ago

I am learning a lot from this thread, thanks for sharing. It seems that 1 in 3 buses in NA are from New Flyer.

Also, I like their proposition of having a centre median boarding platform. https://youtu.be/Xhw66RpevsM Some few decades ago, I heard about some cities solving bus traffic by using the centre of the street for public transport.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

BYD was building electric buses in Newmarket, Ontario. They were so shit, Toronto stopped using them and they shut down after lawsuits. This is what y'all can't wait for.

[–] Nils@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

I am not able to read the article. It only shows the headline for me.

I found an article with similar title that lists the reasons as:

  • Significant delays in obtaining replacement parts, taking up to 73 days for a single rear axle.
  • Poor quality of repair manuals and a lack of diagnostic tools in English.
  • Insufficient engineering support from BYD during operations.

Does that match the article you shared? Is there more to it?

[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

The (small number of) TTC electric buses are BYD. They got built in Newmarket but I think the production stopped due to some issues. A larger scale attempt might be needed. :D That said, we might want to try that with sodium-ion batteries.

[–] Nils@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

That is cool! I heard when they did the procurement a while ago, but I did not know what happened after. It is great to know that they were made here.

I think once we have plenty of buses (and other EVs) around, the battery recycling will catch up. Just like it happened with the lead-acid.

[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 5 points 3 days ago

the battery recycling will catch up.

For sure. That said, for applications where applicable, sodium-ion kinda makes recycling moot. There's "unlimited" supply of the input materials. CATL and some smaller factories just started production and it's already cheaper than LFP. I haven't checked if buses are suitable application but I think they should be.

[–] CubitOom@infosec.pub 4 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

Last time I visited China, I asked a few of my friends over there what they thought of BYD. They said they are bombs on wheels, and that the caught fire often.

I welcome more affordable electric vehicles, but there should be caution and safety testing for things as dangerous as a car. Especially from a country who's industry is known for cutting corners to increase profits and has very little concern for human life.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 days ago

People see some 🀑 on youtube counting cupholders and conclude it's a reliable vehicle.

[–] cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Canada still has its own safety standards that other manufacturers of goods need to meet if they're going to import or produce within Canada, as far as I'm aware.

[–] CanadaPlus@futurology.today 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Which is one of a couple reasons why ultra-cheap Chinese EVs aren't likely. They're going to use up that 5% or whatever on high-end vehicles with a good margin.

[–] sicilian@lemmychan.org 4 points 4 days ago

Same. It will be nice when Westerners see how much they've been getting screwed over by the people they put in charge.

[–] CanadaPlus@futurology.today 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

Are there any real advantages over a another nation's EVs, besides cost? There's the battery swapping infrastructure, but I kind of doubt they'd sink that level of money in, especially with a cap on possible car imports.

[–] Vex_Detrause@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I think because China is subsidizing their EVs then that's why it's cheap and people will buy cheap.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

Canada subsidizes all automakers. So why are our vehicles shit and overpriced?

[–] Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Their charging tech is insane. Like, 90% battery in the time it takes to use the bathroom kind of stuff. They're also pushing hard into sodium battery tech that doesn't catch fire, so their EVs are gonna be some of the safest in the world.

I would need serious reassurances about the safety (privacy) of their onboard software if I was going to buy one, but their tech is bloody brilliant.

Hmm, looks like it comes down to how fast they can cool their batteries. I wonder if there's any tradeoffs. Thanks.

I'd take the sodium thing with a grain of salt (if you will), though. When there's energy there, and it releases uncontrolled, you're going to get a fire or at least a blob of molten battery. At best they're going to be more resistant to that. If they can get good power densities it's worth it just for the abundance of raw materials, though.