Posted on Friday 4 April 2008
With constant coverage of the race between Toyota and GM to be the first on the market with a plug-in hybrid vehicle, it’s easy to forget that China’s auto industry is also hard at work developing advanced powertrains and is toe-to-toe with the big boys in the technology stakes. We’ve previously reported about the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) taskforce set up by the government to develop new electric drive systems, and now we have news about a Chinese battery producer prepping a range of new petrol-electric hybrid models for the European market.
China’s BYD has confirmed it is planning to market a hybrid sedan in China by the end of the year and will eventually step into the European market within the next two to three years. The information comes from BYD chairman Wang Chuanfu, who told reporters from Automotive News China the new hybrid sedan can travel up to 110km on electric power alone.
Chuanfu predicts sales of the car will top 500 units per month in China and will eventually reach 2,000 sales per month by next year.
Pictured above is the BYD F3, the sedan most likely to be fitted with the carmaker’s new hybrid drivetrain.