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The company is aiming at corporate buyers in China initially and will expand sales to the mass market in the second half of 2009. (http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUSSEO16159320081215)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/BYD_F3_Hybrid.jpgReuters (http://www.reuters.com) - Dec 15, 2008

2011 looks to be a very busy year! -- Ed.

SHENZHEN, China, Dec 15 (Reuters) - China's BYD Co (1211.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) plans to sell its plug-in hybrid cars, the country's first homegrown electric vehicle, in European and U.S. markets in 2011, BYD chairman Wang Chuan Fu told reporters.

BYD, which is 10 percent owned by U.S. investor Warren Buffett, originally aimed to sell the hybrid cars abroad in 2010 but Wang would not give any reasons for the delay.

The firm officially launched the F3DM on Monday and said it will sell a total of 50 units of the hybrid cars to the Shenzhen municipal government and China Construction Bank (0939.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz).

Many of the world's big carmakers, including General Motors (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), Toyota (7203.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Daimler AG (DAIGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), are racing to develop electric and hybrid vehicles that could help to ease global environment problems such as carbon dioxide emissions.

The F3DM, which has a small gasoline engine as a back up, is available in 14 Chinese cities at 149,800 yuan ($21,890) per unit, Wang said.

The price tag is at the high-end of a range of between 100,000 yuan to 150,000 yuan estimated by analysts and doubles the price of… http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUSSEO16159320081215

Here's a follow on with actual driving impressions:

Revving China's auto industry (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7779261.stm)

The UAW ought to be looking over their shoulder at these guys. Assembling cars with migrant workers who now live in Chinese factory dorms? Can you see that in America?!We don't make DVR's or flat screen TV's in America anymore, and the dream of making cars (even with 80% "American" content) in America seems to be slowly eroding, too.

I truly hope that Ford can turn things around (or at least delay the outgoing tide) with their new hybrid fusion, but it still could use some help. (Like a whopping great government incentive as a discount --- say in the order of $5000 or so).

The days are long gone when the American consumer is going to accept having to pay a thousand dollars a crack out of pocket, for frequent trips to a dealer to TRY and correct for poor initial designs, and mediocre quality control. I suspect that's why the bogus-3 are being "punished" by so many posters --- no one has as long a memory as a driver with an unreliable vehicle.

The delay is probably just to see it will be economical to sell it with "Chrysler" written on the back.

The delay is probably just to see it will be economical to sell it with "Chrysler" written on the back.

:eek:

That's one Chrysler I'd consider buying!

http://www.byd.com/

Interesting web site.

That company exhibits explosive growth. Warren Buffett is no dummy when it comes to investing...

Harry