I tried with much effort to import a BYD, and the federal government slowed me down every step of the way to where I gave up around regime change last November. If you have a way I can buy a BYD today, regardless of cost, in the US, I would be interested.
How far did you get, and what do you mean "regardless of cost"? The big issue is going to be getting the vehicle to pass FMVSS, and it looks like no one has successfully done it. Have you talked to an RI to see if they know why?
I’m going through the RI process now for a vehicle ( not EV, not Chinese, not BYD)
If a vehicle was never sold in the US and is not FMVSS compliant (with a sticker), then the RI has to prove every piece of consequence IS compliant. Airbags tested to DOT standards. Headlights. Taillights. Seatbelts. Wipers. Crash safety. Dash lights, warning lights, backup camera FOV. TPMS. The list is like 10,000 things long.
Probably it does meet 99% of them , and the non-compliant things are an easy fix (we’re changing speedo in mine to mph).
The trick is you have to document and prove every single item on the list, often with lab testing. It takes years, and often millions of dollars.
You can't. You don't want an old, non-electric one (presumably), so you can't use that loophole to register one. So unless you're the CEO of Ford (who has all the connections in the world), you won't be able to bring it in and register it, and depending on the state, you have to register it, even if it's not operating on public lands. I will pay $5k on top of the $8k base price and $8k for 100% tarrif, for a total of $21k for a BYD Seagull in California if you can get one delivered and registered to me. I'm sure there's collectors out there offering way more.
Probably the best option is to collude with a nonresident [1]:
> Nonresidents may import a vehicle duty-free for personal use up to (1) one year if the vehicle is imported in conjunction with the owner's arrival. Vehicles imported under this provision that do not conform to U.S. safety and emission standards must be exported within one year and may not be sold in the U.S. There is no exemption or extension of the export requirements.
While the vehicle can't be sold in the US, and must be reexported after a year, there's nothing on this page that says the nonresident can't lend it to a resident for most of the year. If money isn't really a problem, buy overseas, pay a nonresident to arrive in the vehicle, and after a year, export it and sell it and repeat. Nothing on this page suggests the vehicle couldn't leave and re-enter, but that seems like asking for way too much trouble, I wouldn't be surprised if someone at the border is keeping track of VINs. Since BYDs are sold in Mexico, you don't even need to deal with shipping, just drive through the border.
It's tricky with a car that has never been sold in the US, but with something where production for the US market ended, but other markets continue, you end up with things like a 1990s VW beetle with a 1970s title. shhh
Sorry, I meant the best option for our friend fragmede who wants to drive a BYD as an everyday car would be to collude with a nonresident. If Ford wants to study and test a BYD, yeah, they can just import it under the appropriate classification.
I've seen BYD commercial vehicles in the US, but only at a company not known for following rules. I suspect commercial vehicles are easier to import anyway.
Regular passenger vehicles have a lot of standards they need to meet, which usually means manufacturer participation. Has BYD gone through the process to get passenger vehicles approved for use in the US? Otherwise, sure, you can get it imported under a conditional use to bring it to car shows, but not for daily use.
And you can buy a BYD in America. There's just a pre-Trump 100% tariff on Chinese EVs with bipartisan support that isn't going away any time soon.