How One Man is Driving a Chinese EV Through U.S. Barriers with his Rare BYD e6

Erik Soderholm, a 71-year-old bus dealership co-owner in Honolulu, is a unique figure in the U.S. automotive landscape. He drives one of the few fully registered Chinese-made electric vehicles legally on American roads: the BYD e6. While most Americans remain unfamiliar with the car, and U.S. policy has effectively blocked Chinese EV imports with tariffs exceeding 100%, Soderholm has not only imported one of these vehicles but has actively operated a small fleet, maintaining them over thousands of miles. His story highlights both the technical potential of early Chinese EVs and the regulatory and business challenges foreign automakers face when attempting to enter the U.S. market.

The Vehicle Itself

The BYD e6, introduced in the U.S. in the early 2010s, is a boxy, crossover-style electric vehicle designed for utility and practicality. It originally targeted commercial use, particularly taxi fleets, government, and utility vehicles. Under the hood, the e6 is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack providing roughly 180 miles of range per charge, according to early specifications, and a single electric motor delivering smooth, if modest, performance suitable for urban driving and moderate highway speeds. While modern EVs have made strides in battery energy density, charging speed, and electronics sophistication, the e6 was considered “low-tech” at the time of its import, lacking advanced infotainment systems and modern driver-assist features.

Despite its modest specifications, the e6 provided a proof-of-concept for Chinese EV manufacturers seeking to enter the U.S. Soderholm purchased four e6s directly from BYD under a dealership agreement negotiated in 2016. The deal, facilitated by BYD executive Macy Neshati, allowed Soderholm to not only sell buses and forklifts but also to operate and promote the e6 as a street-legal passenger EV. He paid approximately $49,500 per vehicle, reflecting the combination of import costs and regulatory compliance adjustments needed for U.S. federal motor vehicle safety standards.

Soderholm’s e6s demonstrate a mix of resilience and simplicity. He reports that his primary vehicle has logged over 60,000 miles, while another vehicle in his family has exceeded 75,000 miles. Service has been manageable, though the vehicles’ early design meant that manuals and documentation were in Chinese, creating some challenges for maintenance and repairs. Despite these hurdles, Soderholm emphasizes reliability: “We’ve had few problems. They work,” he said. While he personally enjoys driving his e6, he admits that his family has been less enthusiastic, particularly given the years of legal disputes surrounding the dealership agreement.

The Regulatory Landscape

The broader regulatory environment in the U.S. has long discouraged Chinese EV imports. High tariffs, complex certification processes, and intense scrutiny over safety and emissions have effectively prevented most Chinese automakers from selling passenger vehicles in the country. BYD, the world’s largest EV manufacturer by volume, has seen its growth in other markets restricted by these policies, despite its success with electric buses and battery technologies globally. The e6’s U.S. presence was largely a product of niche agreements and Soderholm’s perseverance, rather than a broader market strategy.

The early reception of the e6 by fleet operators in the U.S. was mixed. In 2015, BYD partnered with Uber and other ride-hailing services to deploy e6s in taxi fleets. Test drives of e6s in Chicago by Cars.com noted that while the vehicles were roomy and quiet, they suffered from uneven braking, steering quirks, and limited charging infrastructure. Range anxiety was a persistent concern: the approximately 180-mile range required frequent recharging, especially for airport shuttle trips that consumed significant battery capacity in a single run. Consequently, some fleet operators returned the e6s after only a few months of operation.

Soderholm’s journey took a legal turn when BYD sought to rescind his dealership agreement after executive changes in 2018. Following a dispute over the validity of his contract, Soderholm successfully sued BYD under Hawaiian law, ultimately receiving a settlement exceeding $2 million. The framed check now hangs next to his law school diploma, a symbolic reminder of both his legal victory and the obstacles foreign automakers face in navigating U.S. regulations.

The Evolution of BYD Vehicles

Technically, the e6 represents an early iteration of electric mobility: its lithium-ion battery pack, single-motor drive, and range limitations reflect the capabilities and limitations of the early 2010s. While it lacks fast-charging capabilities seen in today’s EVs—such as 800-volt architectures capable of 200+ miles of range per 15 minutes of charging—the e6 demonstrates the durability of BYD’s electric drivetrain design and battery management systems. Its longevity, as evidenced by vehicles surpassing 100,000 miles in commercial use, highlights the company’s early commitment to battery reliability and robust electric propulsion, even under conditions that were challenging for EV infrastructure at the time.

Soderholm’s continued use of the e6 also underscores the potential threat BYD poses to the U.S. automotive market. As charging infrastructure expands and battery technologies advance, BYD’s experience with high-volume EV production, energy storage, and electric buses could position it as a formidable competitor if regulatory barriers were lowered. Observing the e6 in daily operation, Soderholm sees the long-term vision of BYD’s global strategy and the company’s engineering potential.

Today, only six e6s are registered in the U.S., with Soderholm connected to four of them. These vehicles serve as rare reminders of a chapter in U.S. automotive history when Chinese automakers made early, small-scale attempts to enter the American passenger EV market. They also highlight the interplay between innovation, regulation, and entrepreneurship, illustrating how one individual can navigate these forces to operate vehicles that are otherwise unavailable to the public.

Soderholm drives his e6 daily, continuing to log miles and maintain his fleet. Though he admits he would prefer a classic Porsche 911 if he could choose freely, the e6 has become a symbol of resilience, both technologically and legally. Through his experience, the car also tells a broader story: early Chinese EVs were capable, reliable, and forward-thinking, even if market and regulatory realities kept them largely invisible to most American drivers.

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