CARMA, the leading technology and consulting company, has released the third instalment of its ‘Driving Change Series’ study. This report delivers an in-depth, data-driven analysis of the global automotive industry’s transformation, focusing on the strategic rise of incoming Chinese brands in the MENA region and worldwide.
The third report in the series, titled BYD vs the World: A Media Intelligence Perspective on a Rising Superbrand, assesses the Chinese giant’s global media positioning, drivers of reputation, communication effectiveness, and identifies the emerging risks and geopolitical challenges facing its rapid international expansion.
CARMA’s analysis reviewed 6,518 articles published across 500 online outlets in 56 markets, alongside social content on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. This comprehensive study provides a definitive view of how global media and social storytelling shaped BYD’s reputation between 1 January 2024 and 15 August 2025.
From Underdog to Unstoppable: Key Findings
The study confirms that the global automotive industry is shifting gears, with Chinese manufacturers rewriting the rules, led by BYD.
The Power of the Underdog Narrative
Based on the data and analysis, BYD successfully turned early scepticism into a reputation asset built on consistency and resilience. The brand’s narrative is heavily humanised by its CEO, Wang Chuanfu, often described as a self-made engineer who rose from rural China. CARMA’s research shows that coverage featuring Chuanfu is markedly more positive (89%) compared to all BYD coverage (75%). This human element has solidified the brand’s leadership perception: 65% of BYD’s global coverage now portrays the company as a leader, a perception that remains strong despite short-term media volume dips in 2025.
Innovation as the Reputation Engine
The study also reveals that the brand has become synonymous with “firsts” – from the world’s first megawatt-level five-minute charging system to AI-integrated vehicle platforms and drone-assisted driving. This stream of breakthroughs has ensured BYD remains central to the media’s innovation narrative. Social media strategy has also played a pivotal role. While models like the Seal, Dolphin, and Atto 3 dominated interest, BYD’s social content prioritised visual storytelling, emphasising design and quality over price. On TikTok and Instagram, this approach drove engagement, while YouTube content successfully reinforced perceptions of performance and reliability.
PR Agility and Brand Humanisation
The report highlights BYD’s agile PR strategy, which combines traditional best practice with cultural sensitivity. The company demonstrates purpose by creating emotional equity through initiatives like engineering scholarships and environmental partnerships. A notable example was the company’s fast, values-driven response to a BYD driver who intervened to stop a violent highway assault in China, turning a viral moment into a symbol of integrity. High-visibility partnerships, including the UEFA Euro 2024 sponsorship and collaborations with personalities such as Jill Scott, have further helped to localise its global identity and humanise the brand.
The Reputational Tightrope
The primary challenge for BYD is managing the tension between its aggressive affordability strategy and concerns over stability. Aggressive pricing has raised doubts among analysts, with warnings that such tactics could risk financial overreach. The report also found that operational vulnerabilities, such as the 2024 recall of nearly 100,000 vehicles, software outages, and reports of damaged or mould-affected exports, carry significant reputational weight and expose logistical strains in its rapid expansion. External criticism increased sharply in August 2025, underlining how quickly operational or political developments can affect media sentiment.
A Geopolitical Actor
Another notable takeaway from the report is that BYD is no longer viewed solely as a car manufacturer; it is a geopolitical actor. Across the Americas and Europe, BYD’s expansion is framed as a symbol of China’s industrial ambition and a focal point of US-China economic tension. EU tariffs were covered as an existential reaction to China’s efficiency. In Asia, the brand’s connected-car data sparked security concerns in South Korea, and its market entry was framed as a “Trojan horse” manoeuvre in Taiwan, demonstrating the deep intertwining of the brand’s growth and global politics.
Looking Ahead: Endurance over Expansion
CARMA’s report shows that while international expansion was the single most covered theme in 2024-25, recent sales dips suggest the era of unbroken growth may be over. The UK, despite excluding BYD from EV subsidies, has seen sales surge tenfold, making it the largest market outside China and the company’s next proving ground.
Jennifer Sanchis, Insights Consultant at CARMA, commented on the findings, “BYD’s rise shows that consistent storytelling and a clear media strategy are what turn a local disruptor into a global leader. Having the right products alone isn’t enough; success comes from making sure the world sees and understands their value proposition and their resilience in the face of intense scrutiny.”
The insight suggests that BYD’s new challenge is not expansion but endurance: maintaining trust, stability, and purpose as global scrutiny intensifies. Through relentless innovation, sharp media strategy, and consistent product delivery, BYD has evolved from a domestic disruptor to a global EV powerhouse, delivering one of the industry’s most compelling transformation stories.
