http://www.nextautos.com/files/images/byd_f3_main_630-1027-636x360.jpg


At last year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Chinese automaker BYD surprised industry pundits by bringing an advanced concept for a dual mode hybrid to its stand (http://www.nextautos.com/auto-news/08-naias-china%E2%80%99s-byd-motors-brings-%E2%80%98game-changing%E2%80%99-hybrid-to-detroit). Now the battery specialist (BYD’s parent company is also one of the world’s biggest suppliers of rechargeable batteries) claims to be moving the game on even further, saying that it will bring a plug-in hybrid vehicle to the U.S. market by 2010.



BYD chairman Wang Chuanfu has said that the new hybrid, which is most likely to come in the form of the F3 sedan pictured above, will be able to travel up to around 68 miles on electric power alone.



In addition to its previous hybrid concept experience, the plug-in plans are also being greatly bolstered by an alleged investment of $230 million from rich guy Warren Buffet, which should go a long ways towards developing the safety features needed for U.S. regulations. BYD is reportedly getting help with the safety standards via “third-party consulting and engineering companies.”



Despite the fact that BYD doesn’t currently sell any hybrid in its home market, the company has lofty sales goals for the plug-in already—hoping to make the car available not only in the U.S. and China, but eventually in Europe as well.

+ Motor Authority: China's BYD to sell plug-in hybrid in U.S. by 2010 (http://www.motorauthority.com/chinas-byd-to-sell-plug-in-hybrid-by-2010-in-us.html)

Hahahaha, I talked to those guys at NAIAS. Their showings were jokes. And when we asked the guy the projected price on some of the "top of the line" models, he, with a straight face mind you, said they were expecting to sell them at "around $30 to $40k" and when we acted shocked at that he said "well, what do you pay for a Honda?". It was very very very hard to not laugh in his face.

Paint colors didn't match between panels on the exterior. Heck, one of their cars is a direct ripoff of both a Mercedes front end with a Peugot rear end.

I was going to keep their brochure for a laugh but I think I ended up throwing it away. All the Chinese manufacturers showing at NAIAS were jokes. One of the cars one of the other companies was showing (I think it was Geely) even had huge stress cracks in several panes of glass because the car was so poorly built.

Vostok 7

hmm...battery powered car from China. Nope. I'm not going to risk an explosion...

BYD is primarily a battery maker. Cars are a sideline for them.

So, I'd totally expect them to have the electronics side completely nailed, and the car part of an "electric car" to be a work in progress.

So keep laughing guys, but the Chinese automakers are improving their game a hell of a lot quicker than the Koreans did. And they have stacks of cash to throw into development. That's something the American makers have been reduced to begging Uncle Sam for...

hmm...battery powered car from China. Nope. I'm not going to risk an explosion...

hahaha i really hope the laptop battery or the AA battery in your clock magically blows up infront of you, chances are its made by them evil nazi like Chinese!

Its funny how you idiots don't realize the Chinese revolves around our consumer life.

Unfortunately JOEYW is dead on when it comes to all the other consumer electronics that the average American buys.

We are frighteningly dependent on China's exports - the average person has clothes, computers, furniture and even food made in China - their cars are next, like it or not. Pick up 10 random things in and around your house and office and I bet that at least 7 of them are made in China or Taiwan.

I have no delusions of thinking that this BYD is going to be any good, or even get here by 2010, but eventually the Chinese automakers will get here.

Unfortunately JOEYW is dead on when it comes to all the other consumer electronics that the average American buys.

We are frighteningly dependent on China's exports - the average person has clothes, computers, furniture and even food made in China - their cars are next, like it or not. Pick up 10 random things in and around your house and office and I bet that at least 7 of them are made in China or Taiwan.

I have no delusions of thinking that this BYD is going to be any good, or even get here by 2010, but eventually the Chinese automakers will get here.

To be fair, big chunks of your car probably already are made in China. The sub-components that get assembled into finished "parts" at any rate. All the fiddly rubber seals & o-rings, plastic bits and clips, hose fittings, electric motor shells, rotors and end caps, pumps, injectors, metal and rubber tubing...

And yeah, they'll probably fall down on the vehicle engineering and styling ends, and 2010 seems really optimistic.