BYD Advertised 420 km Range but My Car Gets Half That
On April 24, 2025, I purchased a new BYD vehicle from the BYD Derya dealership. I chose this vehicle largely because its advertisements and promotional materials claimed an estimated driving range of approximately 420 km (261 miles). Unfortunately, I have never come close to achieving that range in real-world driving. Even when I drive exclusively in Eco Mode, avoid using the air conditioning or heater, and drive as efficiently as possible, I struggle to exceed 200 km (124 miles) on the highway. This has been the case since the day I took delivery of the vehicle, and nothing has improved despite the car now having approximately 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles) on the odometer.
The advertised driving range was a major factor in my purchasing decision. However, after I bought the vehicle, representatives at both the dealership and the service center told me that those advertised figures could never realistically be achieved and that I should expect only 150–200 km (93–124 miles) on the highway because the vehicle was "not designed for long-distance driving." These statements directly contradict the representations made before the sale. I believe this is misleading and does not match the expectations created by BYD's marketing materials.
I repeatedly tried to contact both the dealership and the service center, but my calls often went unanswered. When I finally reached the service department, I was told not to expect more than 150 km (93 miles) of highway range and that this was normal for the vehicle. I find it unacceptable that, after advertising significantly higher range figures, BYD now attributes the discrepancy to normal operating conditions. Because of this issue, I no longer feel comfortable taking long trips with my family. Traveling to my hometown of Rize has become stressful because I constantly worry about running out of charge and being forced to make frequent charging stops.
For these reasons, I believe this vehicle should be considered defective under Turkey's Law No. 6502 on Consumer Protection, particularly the provisions governing defective products and misleading commercial practices and advertising. I request that BYD honor the expectations created by its own advertising and take meaningful action to resolve my complaint. My preferred resolution is to have my current all-electric vehicle replaced with a higher-end BYD hybrid model at no additional cost. If this matter is not resolved, I intend to pursue all legal remedies available to me before the Consumer Arbitration Committee and the Consumer Court, and I reserve the right to use this complaint as evidence in those proceedings.