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Chinese Automaker Unveils First Electric Car

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the jump-start-on-the-competition dept.

JuliusSu writes "A Chinese auto manufacturer, BYD, is introducing today the country's first electric car, a plug-in hybrid vehicle. It plans to sell at least 10,000 cars in 2009 for a price of less than $22,000. This put the company ahead of schedule against other entrants to this market, such as Toyota, due to release a similar car in late 2009; and GM, whose Chevy Volt will be launched in late 2010. The company is best known for making cellphone batteries, and hopes its expertise in ferrous battery technology will allow it to leapfrog established car manufacturers."

3 of 341 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I'll believe it when I see it by DeadDecoy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well that was a complete non-sequitur and kinda rude. My point was that Warren Buffet (one of the richest men in the world) has made his fortune by investing in companies that actually turn a profit as opposed to typical speculation. Because of his past success and a 10% stake, there's a chance that the Chinese car is not vaporware.

    Now your comment implies that I am somehow responsible for the current financial crisis either because I make speculative investments or take out/issue bad loans, perhaps based on what Warren Buffet does. Those implications aren't true, nor do they have any bearing on the comment I made. So, I can only assume you're trolling for easy mod points.

    You should stop because it only makes you look like an idiot.

  2. Your "American" car is full of Chinese stuff by EmbeddedJanitor · · Score: 5, Insightful
    That high quality American car is packed to the gunnels with Chinese made parts, including engines.

    About the only thing that is truely american is the arrogance.

    --
    Engineering is the art of compromise.
    1. Re:Your "American" car is full of Chinese stuff by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      True, but don't underestimate the challenges involved in actually assembling a good-looking car that's safe and doesn't break.
      Remember the Yugo? Remember how Hyundai was (until recently, anyway)? Hell, (if you're old enough) remember how the Japanese cars once were?

      BYD has shown they know how to build laptop batteries. They may be able to scale it up to automobile level (although this is not trivial).
      However, they have years to go before they are capable of building automobiles that can compete on safety, comfort and reliability against existing auto makers. They may get there eventually, if they survive that long (Hyundai did, Yugo didn't); however, it's definitely not going to be with their first car. This has nothing to do with being Chinese, and everything to do with being new to market. I wouldn't trust Tesla's first car either, although charging $100K each may give Tesla an advantage in that it can afford to do more over-engineering and cherry-pick good parts than BYD can at its price segment.