The world’s largest EV maker, BYD, wins a defamation lawsuit over the Denza B5 SUV fuel consumption against a TikTok blogger, ordering compensation of over 2 million yuan (~290,000 USD). He previously stated that the Denza B5 has a fuel consumption of 18 L/100km.
The Denza B5 off-road body-on-frame SUV sells domestically under the Fang Cheng Bao Bao 5 name. It started sales in October 2023 with a starting price of 289,800 yuan (41,610 USD). According to China EV DataTracker, its domestic deliveries have cumulatively reached 109,177 units.
Lawsuit recap
On November 28, 2023, automotive blogger Yao Weiqiang shared a video about the Denza B5’s fuel consumption on his Douyin (Chinese variant of TikTok) account with over 1 million followers. He claimed that BYD’s plug-in hybrid SUV consumed 18 liters per 100 km in normal driving conditions. For clarity, the B5’s declared fuel consumption is 1.79 liters per 100 km under WLTC conditions in China.
However, Chinese netizens discovered that Yao Weiqiang violated traffic rules during the test videos, reporting it to the police. An investigation with the car’s on-board data followed, revealing that Weiqiang was driving at speeds between 140 and 160 km/h for over 46% while driving on highways. He drove at a speed between 120 and 140 km/h for 37% of the time. Moreover, he occasionally sped up to 180 km/h.
The Denza B5’s data also showed that it repeatedly accelerated and decelerated. Such actions typically lead to increased fuel consumption. Police concluded that Weiqiang endangered road safety. At the same time, BYD stated that its false claim about the fuel consumption rate in normal conditions damaged the product’s reputation.
As a result, BYD filed a lawsuit against the blogger, demanding a public apology and compensation of 5 million yuan (~720,000 USD).
Lawsuit conclusion
On January 22, BYD officials reported that it received the first-instance judgment from the court. Yao Weiqiang was ordered to pay BYD 2.01 million yuan in compensation.
BYD representatives stated: “We always respect and accept suggestions and supervision from all sectors of society, but the internet is not a lawless zone. We will continue to safeguard the company’s legitimate rights and interests through legal means against any form of insult, rumor-mongering, defamation, or other infringing acts.”
BYD’s legal team is actively combating false information from bloggers through lawsuits. CarNewsChina reported in June 2025 that BYD sued 37 influencers over online defamation. On December 25 last year, BYD won a defamation lawsuit against multiple online accounts, ordering compensation of 2 million yuan. The Chinese giant even formed the News Anti-Fraud Office.
Briefly about Denza B5
The Denza B5 (FCB Bao 5) stands on BYD’s DMO platform. It boasts dimensions of 4890/1970/1920 mm with a wheelbase of 2800 mm. The ground clearance could be increased to 310 mm, thanks to the hydraulic suspension system. Its powertrain comprises a 1.5-liter engine and two e-motors for 505 kW (650 hp).
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