Blogger Ordered to Pay $280,000 for Defaming BYD in Landmark EV Industry Case

[Legal Dispute] The self-media blogger 'Long Ge Talks EVs' lost the final appeal and was ordered to pay BYD 2 million RMB in compensation and issue a public apology.

Key Development: Malicious Disparagement of Core EV Technologies Constitutes Commercial Defamation

Since 2023, 'Long Ge Talks EVs' and its affiliated account 'FullCharge New Energy' have published multiple false statements targeting BYD on platforms such as Douyin and WeChat Channels, including fabricating claims that 'the battery has systemic safety hazards' and exaggerating isolated cases of degradation as 'design flaws.' The court ruled these actions constitute commercial defamation and unfair competition.

Industry Impact: Automakers’ Aggressive Legal Actions Signal Stronger Oversight

In addition to BYD, the blogger has also been sued by Seres and XPeng Inc., with the three automakers collectively seeking 7 million RMB in damages. The appellate court rejected the blogger’s appeal and upheld the original ruling, highlighting new energy vehicle manufacturers’ zero-tolerance stance toward online rumors and potentially accelerating the standardization of content ecosystems in the industry.