BYD Plans To Sell Its Dreams In The US

One newcomer at the 2009 NAIAS is BYD, the Chinese battery manufacturer that burst onto the driving scene just five years ago. BYD ("Build Your Dreams") was established in 1995 and has become the world's second largest battery maker in that time. The company has built a global infrastructure that includes offices in Denmark, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania, South Korea, Taiwan and the United States. The company's production facilities are located in Beijing, Huizhou, Shanghai and Xi'an. Currently, BYD employs more than 130,000 people.

BYD says it is focusing its automotive efforts on the development and production of electric and hybrid-electric vehicles, and is currently producing eight vehicles: the F0, F3, F3R, F3DM, F6, F6DM, F8 and the e6. The company says it plans to export the vehicles on a global scale, and will bring certain models to the US market in 2011.

BYD's operating philosophy includes the development and production of vehicles that address the issues of oil consumption, excessive carbon emissions and air pollution. Major cities in China, including Beijing, struggle with the accumulation of industrial and automotive exhaust. By developing solutions that address these issues, BYD is hoping to engage a global demand for its products.

The vehicles at the NAIAS, including the e6, the F3DM, the F6DM and the F0, will represent the first of BYD's environmentally friendly, cost-conscious vehicles to cross the Pacific, but are unlikely to be the last. The vehicles represent a broad range of styles that are likely to appeal to consumers who want to do their part for the environment without spending a fortune.

The F0 is a four-seat subcompact vehicle with an overall length of 136 inches and a 92-inch wheelbase. The F0 is a hybrid electric vehicle with a 1.0 liter engine, which the company claims can deliver 56 mpg. The F0 has a top speed of 94 mph.

The e6 is a fully electric, 5-seat crossover vehicle that charges on household current, with an overall length of 179.3 inches and a wheelbase of 111.4 inches. The company says it will offer four different battery size options for the e6. BYD also says that the vehicle has a ten-minute quick-charge capacity of 50%.

The F3DM and F6DM are dual-mode plug-in hybrid electric vehicles that feature 1.0L gasoline engines that can support and extend the range of the vehicles' electric propulsion systems. According to BYD, the vehicles fully quick-charge within 60 minutes, and like the e6, can achieve a 50% charge in 10 minutes. The vehicles require seven hours to charge to full capacity. The vehicles also offer a 62-mile all-electric driving range and 360-mile hybrid range.

The vehicles still must be evaluated for compliance with emissions and safety regulations, but the company is confident that it will be in the US market in 2011. Meanwhile, BYD plans to improve and refine its vehicles in the domestic market in China.