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» China-Business-Articles » Reading: "Plug-in Hybrid Finally Available! Only in China?"
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| Plug-in Hybrid Finally Available! Only in China? |
By:
Jerome Butterfield |
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BYD Auto of BYD Co., BYD standing for “Build Your Dreams”, announced the release of their new vehicle, the world’s first massed produced plug-in hybrid. Only offered in China and sure to remain that way until Chinese cars can meet global expectations, the F3DM will be in dealer ships by the end of the month without the big and beautiful price tag you may assume it to have, rather the new car stands at a retail cost of 150,000 Yuan ($22,000 USD). BYD Supplies 65 percent of the world’s nickel-cadmium batteries, and 30 percent of its lithium ion mobile phone batteries, which may give insight into why notorious investor Warren Buffett bought a 10 percent stake in BYD for $230 million.
The Auto outfit for BYD has only been in the car making business for 4 years. Still fresh to the game and coming under great scrutiny it hopes to sell cars in Europe and the US by 2010. The public is hoping that the F3DM, that has been said to be able to travel 70 miles (110 kilometers) when fully charged, will prove to be safer than past Chinese released vehicles as well as spacious enough for big men and big women. A few years ago the German auto club ADAC tested a less than quality SUV (JiangLing Landwind) with what we can classify as catastrophic results.
Apparently no car had ever performed, as badly as this and in a real life head on crash of 40 mph the driver would likely be killed. Industry aficionados dismiss the thought that BYD will accomplish the US market by 2010. Years of experience elsewhere will need to occur prior to approaching the most competitive auto market in the world. Although the most recent releases of Chinese cars are better built and have stood up better than before in testing, they still lack the quality and consistency that other manufacturers have a grasp on.
US crash testing is among the most rigorous in the world and the Chinese product would have to make the grade to be able to find them in the US market. Furthermore, they have built a better car, but the interior quality still leaves something to be desired resembling the lowbrow interiors of 1990’s Korean cars. The true confession of it is that regardless of the circumstances we should be happy that other countries are developing viable green technology, especially China whose smog travels all the way to our shores.
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