The Old Diocesan Issue 12 - Magazine - Page 66
THE BIG QUESTION:
TO BYD OR NOT TO BYD?
From time to time, hot topics arise in Bishops circles
(and beyond) that simply can’t be ignored – banting, crypto,
interschools sports… The latest question that everyone seems
to be asking is: Should I buy a Chinese car? We sent brand
expert Brandon de Kock looking for answers
The BYD Sealion 7 EV – hard to ignore.
W
hen you work in
consumer insights,
there’s always some
new fad, dent in
the zeitgeist or “next big thing” to
investigate and opine about. And
these days, the only thing more
likely than “AI” to derail a strategy
session is the Chinese invasion
of our parking lots. And why not?
Car ownership is a big deal in South
Africa. The wheels we choose, for
practical or emotive reasons or
62 | THE OLD DIOCESAN
anything in between, are central
to navigating life’s highways and,
quite often, our sense of self. But
why on earth would we be talking
about it here, in the OD magazine?
Alan Ramsay, Tim Richman
and I began 2026 with our usual
convivial, quarterly conversation
about everything to do with this
venerable publication. Now, Alan
is not only a vice-president of the
ODU; he was also the long-time
publisher of CAR magazine and
a man who’s driven an impressive
assortment of vehicles on his
roadtrip through life. He was also
one of the first people in SA to buy
a BYD Atto 3, one of the early EVs
to arrive in the country. To be clear,
that’s an “EV” – meaning 100%
battery power with no hybrid help.
I couldn’t resist. “So Alan, at the
risk of derailing the meeting: any
buyer’s remorse?”
“You know, people are still
sceptical of Chinese cars on the
