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China's BYD could beat GM and Toyota to plug-in market

 
5 1,773 views Oct 9, 2007

China's BYD could beat GM and Toyota to plug-in market

China's BYD could beat GM and Toyota to plug-in market

Chinese manufacturer BYD Automobile has revealed that it will start mass producing rechargeable plug-in electric cars next year despite industry giants Toyota and GM admitting they’re still several years away from doing the same. After four years of research and development BYD believe it has finally overcome cost difficulties associated with the technology by using cheaper raw materials.

The first car is to be launched in the second half of next year and will be powered by both electric and hybrid drivetrains. By sharing technologies developers claim it will be much more fuel-efficient than conventional petrol-powered vehicles and will have improved dynamics as well.

Production costs will be reduced by the use of iron batteries as opposed to lithium. “The iron battery proves to have better safety performance and larger capacity. The cost could also be lowered by using abundant resources and affordable raw materials,” BYD officials told reporters from Shanghai Daily.

This same iron battery was showcased in a concept car last year that was claimed to be 70% charged in just ten minutes. BYD is no stranger to battery technology. It started off by manufacturing batteries for mobile phones and only started making cars in 2005.



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Comments (5)

  1. By Strada Auto Store Posted: 10/9/2007 10:08am PDT

    Good information...thank you.
     
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  2. By Gus Posted: 10/9/2007 10:46am PDT

    Uh huh.
    So the Chinese want me to buy a vehicle that they rush to market ahead of such companies as Toyota and GM, who have been working on this for years?
    Sure, sign me up, and throw in some swamp land while you're at it...
     
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  3. By RGB2CMYK Posted: 10/9/2007 12:42pm PDT

    That logo design looks vaguely familiar....
     
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  4. By clone1992 Posted: 10/9/2007 1:06pm PDT

    I would never believe any information about this company. They have stolen design ideas from both MB and BMW. Their workmanship is horrible. If they did produce plug-in electric cars, I bet you would be pushing them after a couple of months of owning them.
     
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  5. By Peter Zion Posted: 10/10/2007 9:38am PDT

    You can bet that it will be another chinese car that folds up into the occupants in any 35 mph crash.

    Germany recently crash tested a leather upholstered "luxury" model from china and that is exactly what it did.

    No details on that iron battery, interestingly enough.

    I want details, or I don't believe it.

    The chinese don't respect copy rights of any sort, so it was stupid of Bill Clinton to give them favored nation status.

    A pity that we reward a country that is cruel to its' own people.
     
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