BYD launches the Qin Max EV for half the price of a Tesla Model 3

This is a car story, not a home energy upgrade story, so there's not much here for your house. BYD, the Chinese automaker, just launched a new electric sedan called the Qin Max in China, priced at 109,900 yuan (about $16,500) for the electric version and 99,900 yuan (about $15,000) for a plug-in hybrid version. That's roughly half the price of a Tesla Model 3 in China, which starts around $35,000 there.

The Qin Max is about the size of a Model 3 and uses BYD's newer battery and fast-charging tech, letting it go from 10% to 70% charge in about five minutes. Range runs up to 391 miles depending on configuration, and it comes with driver-assist features that used to be reserved for pricier models.

None of this is available in the US market, and prices and models don't carry over directly between countries. If you're weighing an EV purchase alongside home upgrades like a level 2 charger or solar, the relevant numbers are what's actually offered where you live, not the pricing in China. Worth keeping an eye on, though, since cheaper EVs entering any market can eventually shift what's available and how automakers price their US lineups.