My Perfect Automobile » BYD

China’s Big Decision on Electric Cars

Larry Bell — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 21:39:31 +0000

BYD electric car

The China Daily newspaper has revealed that the nation’s State Council will provide generous financial incentives for consumers who purchase electric and hybrid cars. The official government goal is to place five-million alternative fuel vehicles on China’s roads within the next eight years.

The incentives will also be offered to producers, as China’s government goes all out to cut carbon emissions, build up electric car infrastructure, and decrease dependence on imported oil. An overarching concern among officials who announced the new plans is environmental responsibility and sustainability. It has long been the government’s intention to create a vibrant green vehicle market within China.

The above video link, though its brief voiceover is in Chinese, is a good example of the sophisticated advertising done by auto manufacturers in China. BYD is one of the largest such firms, and the advertisement shown in the video is rather typical for the company. It profiles one specific model and puts the vehicle in a very positive light, which of course is what advertising is supposed to do. In any case, the commercial makes clear that China’s auto industry is well on its way to catching up with the rest of the world’s car-making, and marketing, ability.

For more information about BYD, see the company’s official corporate website (English-language version):
http://www.byd.com

For more about China Daily, that nation’s primary English-language publication, see the newspaper’s official website:
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/

China Daily sells almost a half-million copies of its main edition each day in over 150 nations. The primary readership consists of government officials and corporate leaders who want to stay up to date on China’s economy, financial sector, and manufacturing industry. Sometimes compared to the major U.S. economic journals and business newspapers, China Daily also acts as a key source of information for foreigners who reside temporarily or permanently in the country, and whose first language is English.

Larry Bell

Larry Bell + is My Perfect Automobile’s Genius Author, but we call him ‘The Expert‘. Here is his full Blog: My Perfect Automobile. Larry lives in San Jose, CA and is also the Expert Author. Larry is a lover of the Automobile as well and shares a passion for Concept, Hybrid and Electric Cars…

China’s Electric Cars Usually Have 3 Wheels

Larry Bell — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 06:38:57 +0000

A 3-wheeled EV in China

The predominant trend in China these days is toward three-wheeled electric cars, which the government officially licenses as motorcycles or bikes. With a top speed of just 20 mph, the micro-cars are essentially covered, electrified bikes. But in an extremely crowded nation where urban centers are chronically congested, the tiny three-wheelers seem to fill the bill quite nicely. At least that is what Chinese consumers think, because they are snapping the things up at a record pace.

The video link below features an overview of the vehicles and their new popularity among Chinese drivers. Costing anywhere between $600 and $1,500, one version of the vehicle is made and sold by Shandong Shifeng Group, which last year saw more than 70,000 units leave showrooms. Due to its agility and low cost, the three-wheeled EVs are still gaining fans among college students and business owners.

One arm of the Shifeng Group supplies agricultural tractors and electric trucks to the country’s farmers. An information page about their products is here: http://www.shifeng.com.cn/en/About/About/
As mentioned in the video, the only alternative for Chinese consumers who want an EV is to purchase one from a large company like BYD Automotive. Based in Shenzhen and established in 2003, the auto firm is just one part of the giant corporate enterprise known as BYD Co. Ltd, which manufactures rechargeable electric batteries. Last year BYD sold nearly 520,000 cars and it ranks as the sixth biggest automaker in the nation. Their official (English language) company website is at:
http://www.byd.com

Right now, BYD offers all sizes of combustion engine vehicles to the domestic market, from sub-compacts to large sedans. While the firm does sell a line of hybrid cars and trucks, it has yet to place an all-electric car into the mix. Next year, according to company literature, BYD will begin selling their first 100 percent electric car to the Chinese public.

Larry Bell

First Plug-In Hybrid Reborn

Catherine Siverts — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 01:38:06 +0000

BYD is a Chinese company whose name is an acronym for the phrase “build your dreams.” Originally a rechargeable battery manufacturer, it has grown in its 17 years to now include an entire automaker company (also BYD). Utilizing the technology and components from the parent business, BYD has turned out the first plug-in hybrid and several all-electric models.

That first plug-in hybrid was none other than the BYD F3DM. It was a true pioneer and was released way back in 2008 in China. It wasn’t available in another country until 2010, so it isn’t as well known on this side of the Pacific. Yet, it was the first. Powered by a 16 kWh battery, the technology utilized is slightly different than what is typically seen on the market today. The typical Lithium-ion battery is composed of LiCoO₂ and has a capacity of 150 – 200 kW per kg. On the other side, BYD’s batteries are composed of lithium iron phosphate, LiFePO₄, and only have about 100 kW per kg capacity, but are, per BYD, are “inherently safe”, as they are chemically more stable.

Recently BYD announced that it was replacing the F3DM with the BYD Chin. It is the BYD Chin, a new plug-in hybrid model, that is set to be unveiled in the coming Beijing Motor Show 2012.

The details are pretty hush-hush, but the following is a statement from BYD on their new car:

“The Chin adopts BYD’s new Dual Mode II system, with improvements on the current dual mode electric model F3DM in efficiency, power and energy-saving.

“With a high voltage, high-speed motor and high-density batteries, the Chin requires just 16RMB of energy per 100km, which equates to 2 liters of fuel per hundred kilometers.”

For those of us who perhaps aren’t super familiar with those conversions, 16RMB of energy translates to about $2.54, and 100km is about 62 miles. 2 liters of fuel per hundred kilometers is about 118 miles per gallon!

Catherine Siverts

Catherine Siverts is My Perfect Automobile’s Expert Author, but people call her Cat. Here is her bio: My Perfect Automobile. Catherine lives in San Jose, CA and is also a Dedicated Member of the My Perfect Automobile Team. Catherine is a lover of the Automobile as well and shares a passion for Nerdy Stuff (power), Concept, Hybrid and Electric Cars!

Hertz to Offer EV Rental in China

Larry Bell — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:50:24 +0000

BYD's E6

Hertz Corporation has announced that it will soon be renting Chinese automaker BYD’s electric E6 from its Shenzhen city location. After that, the rental company will likely bring the E6 to its U.S. retail outlets. One reason the rental firm is making its first Chinese base in Shenzhen has to do with the local government’s hospitality, as well as its fast-track approach to all things related to EVs. The city is the lone place in China where the E6 is offered to non-fleet customers, and is undergoing a rapid deployment of charging stations. As if that were not incentive enough, the citizens of Shenzhen receive a large rebate, the equivalent of US$ 19,000, when purchasing an E6, which goes for about $58,000 in the local market. While the E6 will have a significantly lower sticker price in the U.S., industry watchers are keeping a close eye on the outcome of Hertz’s experience in the large Chinese city.

For its part, Hertz Corporation is betting strongly on its overall market in China, which looks to almost triple by the end of this year. The rental market in China is quite different from America’s, or even Europe’s. Traditionally, many Asian nations use higher-end cars as chauffeur-driven vehicles exclusively. As a result, many of the E6’s rented, at least early on, will go to professional chauffeurs who carry business clientele from point-to-point.

If you are interested in buying an E6 when they land in the U.S., don’t hold your breath. At first, the cars will be available to fleets only, and even that won’t start up until the end of 2012.

Inside the E6

For more about Hertz, see the following information page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hertz_Corporation
The company’s official website is here: http://www.hertz.com/
BYD’s official English language website: http://www.byd.com
A third-party information page about the Chinese automaker is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BYD_Auto

Larry Bell

New Math: China+Daimler=Denza

Larry Bell — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:16:18 +0000

Inside a BYD car

The parent company of Mercedes-Benz, Daimler AG, has finalized a deal with Chinese automaker BYD to produce electric cars for China’s market. The product of the joint venture will be called Denza and will likely be shown off at the upcoming (late April) Beijing Auto Show. There are scant details about the car’s look, specs, and marketing plan, but some British sources are saying that BYD was largely responsible for the technical aspects of the drive train and other EV components of the vehicle, while Daimler was the prime mover in the area of body engineering and styling.

For more than two years, the partners have been quietly working together, using the B Class Mercedes-Benz as a prototype for the new battery-powered Denza. BYD has extensive background in the field, though not with automobiles. The company is one of the biggest players in the cellular telephone battery sector, now apparently moving up a rung to the world of electric cars.

For China’s huge urban populations, a reasonable range will suffice for most drivers, so the proposed car’s battery technology will likely not be a major hurdle. Already there is talk that the Denza will employ lithium-ion-phosphate battery packs. China is long overdue for a homegrown electric car that has strong reliability and solid range. Of all the developed nations on earth, China is infamous for having a significant air pollution problem.

In any case, the potential of the Chinese market is enormous, as it is the most populous nation in the world and has a recent history of catching up quickly in the areas of science, technology, and industry. If the Denza is a success, look for more joint ventures between Chinese and European, or American, car makers.

A BYD plug-in on display

For more about BYD, see the company’s official English language version of their website at http://www.byd.com/
For more about Daimler, see the company’s official site at http://www.daimler.com/

Larry Bell

EV Sales Take Hold in China

Larry Bell — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 13:35:10 +0000

An EV in China

After more than a decade of trying, the communist Chinese government has finally begun to see some results from its promotion of alternative fuel cars. A coalition of dealerships, consumer groups, and federal agencies are at last making significant gains in terms of sales of electric and hybrid vehicles. For the government’s part, an $800 subsidy is offered for hybrid buyers, but almost ten times that amount is credited to EV purchasers, around $9,500. For some of the least expensive electrics, that amounts to a large percentage of the vehicle’s total price.

Dealerships are willing to do almost anything to recruit customers, including an offer of free service for life in some cases, or auto-club amenities for first-time buyers. The efforts are paying off. According to a Chinese trade association study, the majority of electric cars in the nation today were sold in the last year. China’s electric vehicles cut CO2 emissions almost 70 percent compared to the typical combustion car on the nation’s streets.

Buyer demographics are similar to those in the U.S. and Europe, with more than two-thirds of EV purchasers over the age of 30, professional, and college educated. In both China and the U.S., the typical EV driver cites environmental concerns as one of the main reasons for acquiring such a vehicle.

BYD Automotive's FO

The federal incentives have a huge impact on buying decisions. With BYD Automotive’s new F3DM showing a sticker at $32,000, the rebate cuts that price to just over $22,000, which puts the vehicle in reach of many working people. EV owners in China’s larger cities can charge up for free at numerous state-owned facilities, so fuel costs are nil for those who stick to the electric side of the hybrid, or who purchase an all-electric to start with.

For more about China’s auto industry, and how it is changing rapidly, see this fact sheet about BYD Automotive, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BYD_Auto

Larry Bell

China’s E6 EV Arrives

Larry Bell — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:25:08 +0000

E6 awaits global distribution

Chinese automaker BYD has just begun selling its electric E6 car in selected urban markets this week, with the national government offering up to $20,000 in subsidies for the pricey $60,000 car. Featuring a 180-mile range and a top speed of 85 mph. BYD looks to the E6 as an economic renaissance for its company, after a tough 2011 financial situation.

A Clean Future
American investor Warren Buffet owns 10 percent of BYD stock, and has been a powerful international cheerleader for the firm, in China and elsewhere. The Chinese government has started doling out generous financial subsidies to electric car makers, especially concentrating on domestic producers. The Asian nation faces a formidable air pollution problem, and hopes that conversion to an alternative fuel transportation economy will help relieve the situation.

In a nation that currently has only about 10,000 alternative fuel vehicles on its roads, the goal of one-million non-gasoline cars by 2015 is ambitious to say the least. In a centrally planned economy, however, the benchmark can likely be reached once government committees finish setting regional goals this month. As a pilot project of sorts, the national government has doubled the amount of subsidies for buyers of the E6 in one particular city, Shenzhen, dropping the effective sticker price from $60,000 to just over $20,000. Even at that, due to the extremely low average income of Chinese citizens, most initial models are expected to be sold to foreign nationals, visiting business executives, and government officials.

China's new electric pride

Getting Ready to Export
As BYD prepares to sell the E6 overseas, they have a handful of challenges on the table. A right-hand-drive model is soon to be completed and sold in Hong Kong. After a bit more red tape, the U.S. market will see E6’s in showrooms, probably in late 2012. At the same time, BYD plans to aggressively market the car in Europe. Company spokespersons have also indicated that the price will come down as the model year progresses.

Larry Bell