BYD has been gaining significant recognition as a leader in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, constantly pushing the envelope with innovative technologies. Recently, a viral claim has spread across social media, suggesting that BYD has launched a flying scooter in Japan, which has sparked widespread attention. However, after a thorough investigation, Fact Crescendo found that this claim is misleading.
Social Media Claim
A Facebook post claiming that BYD’s Chinese CEO has officially launched its flying scooter in Japan was recently shared by many social media users. The post, which also states that the scooter is being sold for under $2,999, has generated even more interest in the topic.
The following screenshot shows the post mentioned above, accompanied by the caption: “BYD’s Chinese CEO Launches New $2,999 Flying Scooter in Japan That Will Change the Transportation Industry!”
This claim has also been found in another Facebook post, sparking widespread interest and generating a flurry of reactions among social media users, igniting debates across various platforms.
For more information and specifics regarding this post, the details can be found below.
The same screenshot, along with the identical claim, has also been shared by another Threads user.
This repetition highlights the viral nature of the claim and its ability to spread across different platforms, with the claim stating, “BYD’s Chinese CEO Launches New $2,999 Flying Scooter in Japan That Will Change the Transportation Industry!”
Such claims have also been recently posted and found on X, with various users discussing their authenticity.
The claim mentioned above has also been published recently on a website called “Fancy4Work” which lacks credible sources and has not received any confirmation from BYD itself.
Fancy4Work Link | Archived Link
Given the claim’s extensive dissemination and the considerable attention, it has received from the internet community, we believed it was necessary to perform a fact-check on the above subject.
Fact Check
Fact Crescendo started debunking the above claim and verifying the above claim through reliable sources, especially with the recent and latest news on BYD’s official announcements.
According to its official announcement (archived), the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD entered the Japanese market in July 2023, introducing three models: Atto3, Dolphin, and SEAL, for its neighboring country.
However, a search of the company’s official website newsroom reveals that the Chinese automaker has not officially announced the launch of the flying scooters, as claimed in recent viral posts.
The screenshot below captures the latest statement from BYD, released on December 30, 2024, as displayed on the company’s official website.
BYD’s Newsroom | Archived Link
As BYD has a significant presence in Japan, with its branch specifically catering to the Japanese market, any major product launch, especially one as groundbreaking as a flying scooter, would likely be prominently featured on its official website.
However, the official BYD Japan website has not updated and published such an announcement. The absence of such an announcement further supports the claim that the viral story about the flying scooter is misleading.
BYD Japan Link | Archived Link
To verify this claim, we thoroughly examined the company’s official social media accounts and website for any announcements regarding the launch of the BYD flying scooter. However, we found no such information has been released on the company’s official channels.
Our Fact Crescendo team has also sent an email directly to BYD seeking clarification regarding the above-alleged post. However, as of now, there has been no response or feedback from the company. We will update this article with any new information or replies from their team.
As BYD has yet to respond to our inquiry, Fact Crescendo conducted a keyword search on Google which proves that no recent news reports have been published by reputable media outlets in Japan or other parts of the world.
The screenshot below displays the results of the keyword search, revealing that no news reports have been published about BYD unveiling its flying scooters.
Furthermore, leading technology and auto industry websites such as Electrek, TechCrunch, and CarScoops, which cover EV and tech-related launches, have not reported any news confirming that BYD’s CEO has announced the launch of a flying scooter priced under $3,000.
As of now, even though there is no official confirmation that BYD has launched or plans to introduce a flying scooter in Japan, recent reports about such a product appear to be misleading and lack credible sources.
Instead, BYD’s latest innovation includes “Lingyuan” a vehicle-mounted drone launching system developed in collaboration with DJI, currently available exclusively in China.
We observed that the image of Putin and Xi Jinping riding a flying scooter with BYD branding does not resemble any known or official product from BYD.
Upon examining the images posted on social media, Fact Crescendo identified several anomalies that suggest the images may have been created using artificial intelligence programs.
The analysis results from the AI-detection tool, shown below, confirm that the images are neither genuine nor authentic; they were generated using an AI tool.
Founded in 2003, the Chinese electric automaker BYD has established itself as a leading manufacturer of electric vehicles. In 2024, the company sold over 5.52 million cars in China, with an additional 417,204 BYD vehicles sold overseas, according to a figure published by JPMorgan last month. Read the full article here.
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Conclusion
Fact Crescendo has found that the claim, along with the photo posted on social media, is misleading. As of the time of publishing this article, there have been no official announcements or credible news reports confirming that BYD’s Chinese CEO has launched a $2,999 flying scooter in Japan that will revolutionize the transportation industry.
