I travel to China often since I have family there. Can I simply buy a BYD over there and put it in a shipping container? Would I need to pay the full tariff? If I do need to pay the full tariff, could I ship it to Mexico and then drive it to the US? BYD looks so affordable compared to US EVs that this might be worth considering.
The answer is no. You can’t import any car from anywhere unless it’s federalized and is at least 25 years old. This process involves the government and the manufacturer, and it can’t be done on a single vehicle.
No, you won’t be able to register it. Plus, it won’t actually be cheaper. You can find used EVs at good prices now, especially if you qualify for tax credits that reduce the cost right at the sale. My in-laws recently got a certified preowned 2020 Hyundai Ioniq Electric for just under $10,000 after federal and state incentives. Without them, it was still only $18,000.
The AC charger is built for 3-phase power, not split phase like in the US. The charging port will likely be a GBT connector, not CCS or NACS. Getting it to charge could be a major issue, if it works at all.
@EdwardGenesis
Just to clarify, split phase is actually single phase, not 2 phase.
You mentioned BYD seems so affordable compared to US EVs, but that’s because the government subsidizes the battery and auto industry heavily and plays with currency values. This makes it seem cheaper. Many countries are doing similar things, but China is focusing on dominating the EV market globally.
You can buy a vehicle from China and have it shipped. But be ready for lots of paperwork and fees. A guy I know bought a truck for $2,000 (yeah $2k but it probably isn’t street legal), and by the time it got delivered, it cost him $8,000.
Importing vehicles younger than 25 years is very limited in the US. After all the costs to ship it, federalize it, inspect it, and upgrade the charging port to fit US standards, it wouldn’t be worth it. Plus, finding someone qualified to do this could be hard.
It won’t have emissions, but the biggest issue is that it can’t be registered and driven here until it’s 25 years old because it hasn’t gone through the proper crash testing or met US safety standards. Rules are rules.
You can’t do it unless you have diplomat plates.
No. The charging system is different and it likely wouldn’t meet safety standards for the US market.
If it were possible, good luck with support and keeping it operational.
Are tariffs really that high?
Davin said:
Are tariffs really that high?
Yes, for Chinese-made EVs, they are that high, and they should be.
Maybe it’s better to just leave the US and change your nationality to something else.