This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with John Romer, a retired radiologist from Huntsville, Alabama, about his BYD Song Plus hybrid and Tesla Model 3. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I’m a 73-year-old former radiologist. I retired from practice in Huntsville, Alabama, nine years ago, after working there for 35 years.
I retired to Florida, but after a while, my wife and I decided to move back to Alabama, where we bought a small home to be close to our children and grandchildren.
But I’m pretty much living in Mexico most of the time now. I’ve been a resident for eight years, and I spend about nine months of the year in the country, going back to Alabama around four times a year to see family.
Chinese cars have become extremely popular in Mexico, so when the time came to buy a new car, BYD was the logical choice. They’ve come in with a strong presence and have a number of dealerships scattered throughout the country.
I test-drove a BYD Song Plus hybrid SUV back in early October and really liked it. I bought one for around 777,000 Pesos ($41,000), and it came in early November. I’ve had it for six or seven months, and it hasn’t had a single issue.
It’s extremely efficient — I’m probably getting over 40 miles per gallon — and having a hybrid gives me the flexibility of being able to go wherever I want.
I would have gone with a pure EV, but Mexico doesn’t have the charging infrastructure yet that they have in Europe or the US, so I was more comfortable with the hybrid here.
The Song is a very comfortable ride, and it also has a number of safety features that I like. It’s very large, which can make it a bit difficult to drive, but it does have blind-spot warning and automatic front and rear braking if there’s traffic that you haven’t seen in front of you or behind you.
Tesla vs. BYD
Back home, I have a Tesla Model 3, which I bought two years ago for around the same price as I paid for the BYD Song Plus.
I use it when I go home to Alabama, but for now, it sits in the garage most of the time. I’m probably going to give it to my grandson, who’s turning 16 next year.
Comparing a hybrid to a fully-electric car is like comparing apples and oranges, but I do prefer the BYD to the Tesla.
The Tesla has been a good car, but it is a little bit troublesome. When I’m in Alabama and I drive to see my daughter in Kentucky, I have to stop to recharge it.
It’s not a huge deal, but it’s a little awkward. I’m almost sure that if I had a hybrid, I wouldn’t have to stop.
I also don’t care for Tesla’s ‘Autopilot’ mode at all. I update it regularly, but it has yet to perform the way I think it should. For instance, in my experience, it cannot handle traffic circles, and it struggles around construction work.
[Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.]
I don’t think it’s ready for primetime yet. The BYD has a similar setup, which I’m yet to use. The infrastructure in Mexico is not good, and there’s a lot of construction around my area, so I’m a bit wary about using it here.
The Tesla is also not as well put together, in terms of the finish, as the BYD Song Plus. The BYD feels very solid, the interior is very well upholstered, and in my opinion, it has a better quality of construction than the Tesla.
I’m a real tech person, and the BYD has all kinds of advanced technology.
As well as a heads-up display and automatic lights, it’s got a nice 3D model of the car on the display — Tesla has one too, but it’s not as accurate as the BYD one, which is really helpful when parking and maneuvering the car.
US drivers miss out
BYDs are everywhere in Mexico, and their prices are very competitive. I’m planning to buy my wife the BYD electric Dolphin Mini.
We were going to get a golf cart to use around the community where we live, but the golf cart costs about $13,000, and you have to spend about $1,500 every two years replacing batteries. The BYD Dolphin Mini is $21,000 and has an eight-year battery guarantee, so it gives you a lot more flexibility for only $3,000 to 4,000 more.
I don’t agree with the tariffs on Chinese EVs in the US. I’ve always believed in free trade. I’m very disappointed in the tariffs that Trump is imposing.
I think competition is always good, it encourages the development of new technology and better quality products.
I do think that if you can’t compete in an industry, then you need to find another industry you can compete in and let things get sorted out, rather than trying to artificially encourage industries with tariffs, which only drives prices up.
Do you own a Tesla or a BYD? Contact this reporter at tcarter@businessinsider.com.
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