• ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world
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    15 hours ago

    It’s not just brands that should fear it, but also people living in cities. Say no to SUVs, even if you “sometimes go to camping, once or twice a year” (yeah, that’s the justification for everyone buying them).

    • Wispy2891@lemmy.world
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      16 hours ago

      You mean “their” as in general to the whole Chinese car industry including the shitboxes sold by GM under the Buick brand? Or only Xiaomi cars?

      Because Xiaomi exclusively sells luxury cars, their other “cheaper” model costs $35k, maybe you are confused for another brand?

    • FG_3479@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      You should worry a ton about the kind of spying which could be embedded in their cars, or terrible security like the UK found in Huawei phone masts.

      • floridaman@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        24 hours ago

        Lol ok the U.S. is mandating cars have remote shutdown and cameras the watch you while you drive, and the ALPRs already track you everywhere. I’d rather the CCP have my data than any private U.S. company.

        • Dr. Moose@lemmy.world
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          20 hours ago

          Same in Europe disguised as “safety think of the children features” that interpret Asian drivers as asleep lmao

      • floridaman@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        24 hours ago

        Yes, just like the auto industry in the United States. The only difference is that the state also directs their companies to do good things rather than just bailing them out.

    • Noobnarski@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      They are doing something though, it’s called long term planning.

      It annoys me so much that the western world has stopped doing it and is just thinking short term.

      • njordomir@lemmy.world
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        23 hours ago

        True, that’s also why we stopped valuing education the same way we used to. The wild part is that we can’t even think 20 years out. Hopefully most of us will still be alive 20 years from now. We should plan like that is the case.

  • Phoenixz@lemmy.ca
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    1 day ago

    An SUV for that price… In sure Chinese sweatshop factory workers are paid fairly and work in safe conditions and get regular breaks, vacations, aock leave, etc… Right?

    Because if not, you’d be buying products from slavery yet somehow I don’t see that argument very much

    • Dr. Moose@lemmy.world
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      20 hours ago

      Auto factories are well known for providing above average working conditions and career paths for their workers in China (high skill, robots). This is one product you would want to buy to support worker rights in China which notoriously have almost no rights or representstion.

      • boonhet@sopuli.xyz
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        16 hours ago

        I’m not sure. There was a guy on Lemmy saying essentially that the “wages are actually pretty good in auto manufacturing, but of course you have to do 60+ hours a week for them to be good, not be lazy and do 40” from his own experience in China.

      • boonhet@sopuli.xyz
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        16 hours ago

        America has UAW, which is about a quarter of the reason American cars are so expensive. They’re paying their factory workers way too much.

    • PoopMonster@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Not denying sweatshops over there, but it’s highly likely these are mostly built by robots in empty buildings.

      • Mpatch@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        Yeah. Watched a factory tour and assembly for sany equipment. Excavators and such. There’s people involved. But the facilities are clean automated and far from sweat shop looking. They make damn good equipment. I used to think it’s junk. Then I had to fix a couple. Impressive stuff from those guys.

    • willington@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      20 hours ago

      I prefer domestic exploitation to the Chinese.

      If the billionaires raping my life and my country are American, they are welcome. If they are Chinese, then fuck the CCP.

      (do I need /s here?)

    • turmacar@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Thankfully in the US we won’t get the choice because they’re not allowed to sell here to protect our domestic producers from competition so we can just give them more money the next time they need to be bailed out.

      • boonhet@lemmy.zip
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        1 day ago

        They pretty much do the same in China. Tesla I believe is or was the only foreign manufacturer allowed to own their Chinese business. Everyone else had to set up a Chinese subsidiary majority owned by a Chinese automaker.

        Nothing stopping Xiaomi from doing the same with Ford or GM in the US as far as I know?

    • adjectivenoun@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      But I like being able to see over everyone else

      • everyone

      At this point I’m planning to see under everyone else.

    • stumu415@lemmy.zip
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      1 day ago

      Xiaomi first car is an amazing sport sedan: SU7. Followed by my personal favorite, the YU7. Actually the SU7 has been the best selling car in China for a few months.

      The Skynomad, this new SUV, strangely is not marketed as Xiaomi but purely as Skynomad. They have separate stores, whereas the SU7 and YU7 are in the normal Xiaomi stores, between the phones fridges and laptops. Definitely a different target audience so that could be the strategy. It doesn’t have a Xiaomi badge either.

      The same goes for Huawei, who have a whole suit of different models and types of cars. The most insane one, from innovation perspective, is the Maestro, a competitor for Rolls-Royce.

        • stumu415@lemmy.zip
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          1 day ago

          I’m a car nut so yes I’m very aware and knowledgeable. However Lexus is Toyota which is a well established brand for many decades before they branched out. The same with Infinity.

          Xiaomi is just starting out making cars for 3 years now, only have 2 models, and should work on their own brand first, before creating a new brand. The market in China in EV’s is already extremely competitive. So introducing another brand, just is complicated for the consumer. Xiaomi is such an established brand here, keep it under that banner.

          And the Skynomad is nothing special or high end luxury. That was my point. Build your brand first and in due time, create the spinoff if needed. Now in China, everything is accelerated but still.

    • KingPorkChop@lemmy.ca
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      1 day ago

      Most of these these new SUVs aren’t huge SUVs of the 90s - like Ford Explorer. They’re basically the new station wagon but barely larger than a sedan like a Camry.

      • adjectivenoun@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        A crossover is a station wagon but the entire thing is raised up for no reason. It’s funny how averse the public is to driving a minivan. I drove one as a rental for a week and it was snappy, convenient, comfortable, and could hold a ton of stuff or people.

        • boonhet@sopuli.xyz
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          16 hours ago

          Minivans’ case isn’t really helped here in Europe by the fact that they’re cheap econoboxes with 2 liter or smaller engines. The Chrysler minivan with its V6 is just about the only exception. And the Mercedes one, but that hasn’t been available in well over a decade. We don’t get the Sienna or the Odyssey for example.

    • Hueristic_Autistic@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      I think people who have never driven one or feel uncomfortable getting one and gets one because they feel they’re getting more for their money shouldn’t be driving them at all.

      I think people who want one should rent one that way they have practice and they have to be careful with the vehicle because it’s on loan but the one thing I noticed when just about everyone switched to mini-suv’s and full sized ones and trucks, that there’s more people who have never driven one in their life and it’s noticeable.

      I just don’t want to be hit by someone who has no idea how to manage driving one because of their size and depth perception being thrown off other than that who gives a fuck what people drive. If someone wants to drop money on something stupidly oversized and uses a fuckload of gas, let em.

    • melfie@lemmy.zip
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      2 days ago

      But without SUVs, people would be embarrassed driving minivans and without huge trucks, there would be nothing to compensate for small penises.

      • Hueristic_Autistic@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        nothing to compensate for small penises.

        That’s not true!!! Just about everything that a mid-life crisis covers, can be a compensation for a small penis.

      • thatOneGuy@aussie.zone
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        2 days ago

        Bring on an era where minivans are cool again, SUVs are tacky, and hot hatches + coupes reign supreme.

        • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          I want a mostly analog microbus body on a kei size frame. Standardized universal plug ins with easily swappable parts. Basically easily accessible media/electronic wiring internally where we can swap the wiring harness, speakers and receiver. A standard sized motor slot for each wheel and same for battery slot and hookups. If new battery technology comes out, they make it to fit the same size slot with adapters pre-fit so no modifications are needed.

          If a motor goes bad set to a temporary mode where all power goes to front or back wheel depending on which died… drive into shop lift car, put on standardized lift… Mechanic knows where full shut off switch is that disconnects battery from all components, lift already grounds frame by setup and pulling the bolts removing the motor and swapping it with a standardized replacement should be able to be done in minutes. The mechanic shouldn’t need to know much at that point, but still good to have someone who does multiple a day than someone who does 1 every 7-10 years.

          Universal light sockets blah blah blah.

          So if you want “smart” features, they are in your chosen swappable part, Bluetooth, wifi, CD, 8-track, whatever, your choice, your slots. Obviously, 8 track might not fit but if everything is standardized, accessory hookups become easy to make

          • thatOneGuy@aussie.zone
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            23 hours ago

            That would be ideal; something of an Open Platform with fully interchangeable parts.

            It’s not quite fully everything we’d want, but that Slate truck that was announced (launched?) last year seems like it’s a step in the right direction.

            The issue at play largely is that customer demand needs to make such options not only viable for manufacturers - but an outright requirement in order for them to remain competitive and relevant.

  • SkunkWorkz@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    And why is it so relatively cheap? Where did they cut corners? Are they spying on you like the cheap Chinese TVs? It can’t be just because it’s government subsidized.

    • 4shtonButcher@discuss.tchncs.de
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      2 days ago

      I would prefer no spying. But with the US being a fascist surveillance state run by greedy billionaires, American cars are no better. Either pick one from a functioning liberal country or focus on the tech. China is clearly ahead on tech.

    • realitista@lemmus.org
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      2 days ago

      The Chinese government is subsidizing them to gain market share just like American tech companies do with VC funding.

      • tb_@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        One way the Chinese government is “subsidizing” their cars is by suppressing the living standards of its people.

        That and their industry doesn’t appear to be as bloated and shareholder-driven.

        • SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca
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          1 day ago

          suppressing the living standards of its people.

          You mean letting billionaires avoid tax, adding tariffs to everything, and driving up the price of gas?

        • realitista@lemmus.org
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          2 days ago

          There are no shareholders because you’d have to be a fool to compete with the Chinese government as an investor. Returns are perpetually suppressed.

          • SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca
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            1 day ago

            JFC Lemmy… BYD is a public company and was originally funded by Warren Buffet. He made almost 9 billion.

            • realitista@lemmus.org
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              1 day ago

              Key figures and findings regarding BYD’s government funding include:

              The Kiel Institute Study (2018–2022): A widely cited study by Germany’s Kiel Institute for the World Economy estimated that BYD received approximately $3.7 billion (€3.4 billion) in direct government subsidies between 2018 and 2022.

              Scaling Support: State aid to the company ramped up significantly over time. For example, out of the $3.7 billion tracked through 2022, a major share—roughly $2.2 billion—was awarded in 2022 alone.

              Annual Financial Disclosures: BYD regularly lists government grants, subsidies, and R&D support in its public financial reports. For instance, annual filings have shown billions of yuan in recurring state backing channeled into specific production lines and technological innovations.

              Broader Context

              While the $3.7 billion figure covers tracked direct corporate aid, international trade analysts and economists point out that BYD’s total structural advantages also stem from wider government policies. These include:

              Supply Chain Subsidies: Extensive state backing upstream in the EV supply chain, particularly for battery manufacturers (such as localized support for lithium processing and battery cell production).

              Infrastructure and Operational Perks: Access to heavily subsidized land, cheap electricity, and localized tax incentives designed to accelerate China’s green technology and clean energy sectors.

              • mofongo@discuss.tchncs.de
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                1 day ago

                Basically, the only thing the US failed to do from this list was a successful pivot to green technologies and the cheap, abundant electricity they could provide. There were many plans that had plans to process and build lithium batteries, that were dismantled after Trump 2.

    • AlloyAhoy@lemmy.ml
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      2 days ago

      The motive isn’t to extract as much capital out of the customers as possible.

    • Squizzy@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      They are spying yes,all the others are too which doesnt make it ok but that is why it is subsidised by the state.

      They cut corners on comfort and noise levels from my experience of similar brands