BYD F6DM: Will the First Plug-In Hybrid be Chinese?
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 02.14.08
BYD is China's largest battery maker. Chances are, if you have a cellphone or a mp3 player, you have one of their products. The company is getting into the auto world, a move that only a few years ago would have seemed illogical, but now that the future will probably go to plug-in hybrids and electric cars, being good with batteries has become a key expertise to have when making cars (we're sure GM would agree - it is mostly batteries that are holding back the Volt).
BYD's first plug-in hybrid for the Chinese market will be the F6DM mid-sized sedan in the second half of 2008. Top speed should be 100 mph (160 kph), with a range of 62 miles (100 km) in all-electric mode and 267 miles (430 km) total after the gas engine kicks in. A fully electric version called the F6E is planned for 2009.
Photo: Jalopnik
F6 is the name of the sedan, "DM" is for Dual Mode hybrid, and "E" is for Electric.
What makes the F6DM and F6E special is the battery pack: the lithium iron phosphate battery is said to be safer, less expensive, without heavy metals, completely recyclable and should be rechargeable to 70% in 10-minute at special charging stations. It can also be recharged more slowly with a home charging station, of course.
Photo: Jalopnik
So if all goes according to plan, it seems like BYD will beat GM's Volt as the first production plug-in hybrid, though they have no plans yet to sell the F6DM outside China (this will surely depend on how successful the car is at home).
But even if the car isn't sold in the rest of the world at first, its technology will certainly inspire and influence other carmakers and speed up the transition to plug-in hybrids and electric cars.
::Detroit Show Preview: BYD's New Plug-in Hybrid on Sale Next Year, ::Jalopnik, ::China's Plucky Plug-In Hybrid
Update: F3DM: The Second, Smaller, Plug-in Hybrid by China's BYD.
See also: ::GM's Chevy Volt Price Goes Up; Stereo, Wipers to Blame, ::How's The Google Plug-In Hybrid Fleet Doing?, ::Jay Inslee Wants Plug-In Hybrid Tax Credits in the U.S., ::Toyota Unveils Plug-in Prius
It will be interesting to see the price of this.
Assuming the all electric boosts the range up to at least 100 miles, that is almost getting to be a full fledged replacement for ICE... assuming those 10min charging stations were mandated along most freeways. Of course one would pay about a 10% penalty in driving time for the recharge stops.
Wrong? According to export manager Paul Lin in an interview in Swedish magazine "Ny Teknik" january 2008, plans are is to start selling in the US in 2009.
Way to show some real environmental stewardship: GO CHINA!
The rest of the world will just feel really bad/owned and get with the program real quick.
YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The interior looks like it came out of a late model volvo.
Here come the cars from China. They will probably be available through Walmart. Why not. This would be a great sales scheme and the fastest distribution ever.
I wiill start selling all auto stocks now. Where did GM and Ford go?
Here come the cars from China. They will probably be available through Walmart. Why not. This would be a great sales scheme and the fastest distribution ever.
I wiill start selling all auto stocks now. Where did GM and Ford go?
"Way to show some real environmental stewardship: GO CHINA!"
ummm....i have to disagree.....the majority of chinas electric production facilities are coal burning which is extremely dirty and they have very leniant emissions laws if any. they have 1.5 billion people in their country......do you realize what disaster these electric cars will spell for the global environment...they should be discouraged from this whole idea....
".they should be discouraged from this whole idea...."
What kind of attitude is that? They should be encouraged to improve; clean up their grid and their cars. Not discouraged from even trying.
BYD - the most admired company !!
I think they should improve on their technology, and then sell it to outside companies and countries. Would be great for taxis and even small buses. Imagine having a hydrogen kit combined with regenerative motor in that Chinese technology. In life, there is no one solution to a problem, but a combination that gives success. :)
amasing that china can beat the US car maker to the punch wich proves that the USA car makers are still DRUNK ON OIL.
OIL-A-HALICS