Boris Li, 35, is a developer for a Beijing startup. In 2022, after enjoying a friend’s Mitsubishi Pajero 4×4 for a long time, this married father of two gave in and bought a midnight blue Tesla Model Y. The switch to electric was a necessity. «In Beijing, a license plate is obtained through a lottery [authorities have implemented this system to limit the number of vehicles in circulation]. So, the chances of being able to drive are slim,» he said. «Unless you commit to driving only electric, your spouse also has a license, and you have children.» Families applying for an electric vehicle benefit from expanded quotas.
Li hesitated between BYD, Nio and Tesla. «Sitting in the BYD, I didn’t find it very sophisticated,» he said. The other two brands offered the same sporty silhouette and high performance. Nio stood out with an innovative battery-swapping system, but Tesla seemed more reassuring: «Tesla is like a MacBook [from Apple, known for its reliability]. You think you’re buying it to avoid problems. At the time, Chinese manufacturers were already very efficient in each area, but there could be doubts about their reliability.»
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