BYD says Chinese cars (EV & EREV) headed to U.S. in late 2015

[RobStark]

Investors have been receptive to BYD's turnaround. The company, which focuses on electric cars, saw its shares surge 63 percent to HK$38 in Hong Kong trading last year. During the restructuring, profit tumbled 97 percent because of losses at its photovoltaic business, a decline in global battery demand and a slump in auto deliveries.

Even with last year's gains, BYD's share price remains less than half the level of the record HK$85.50 reached in October 2009. That's still profitable for MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., a unit of Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, which bought 9.9 percent of BYD in 2009 for HK$8 a share.

The company had previously planned to sell its e6 electric hatchbacks in the country by the end of 2010, though that got postponed.

BYD's Li said the its new Qin plug-in hybrid will likely be the flagship among models introduced in the United States. The sedan, named after the dynasty founded by the emperor who unified China, went on sale in Beijing on Dec. 17.

At a starting price of 189,800 yuan ($31,400) -- before government subsidies -- the car features headlights inspired by a Chinese calligraphy brushstroke and goes from zero to 100 kilometers (62 miles) an hour in 5.9 seconds, and can travel 70 kilometers on a single charge in electric-only mode, according to the company.


Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/201...ars-headed-to-u.s.-in-late-2015#ixzz2phAxaYbf

 

[SwedishAdvocate]

Seems like someone at BYD thought that in order to have a chance of selling any of these, we absolutely must have the shortest dress a woman can possibly wear, and as close to the car as possible…

She doesn’t exactly exude confidence.

 

[Rifleman]

That back seat makes my Volt look generous on leg room. Ouch!

 

[ecarfan]

Both front seats appear to be fully reclined so that the dash was not obscured in the photo.

With a range of just 70 kilometers (42 miles) I don't think the BYD Qin is going to find success in the US.

 

[RobStark]

Both front seats appear to be fully reclined so that the dash was not obscured in the photo.

With a range of just 70 kilometers (42 miles) I don't think the BYD Qin is going to find success in the US.

It is an EREV like the Volt. Volt has a pure EV range of 37 miles.

The problem is the price $31.4K, people will expect it to be much cheaper than a Volt.

And it has to get good NHTSA crash ratings too.

 

[rolosrevenge]

It is an EREV like the Volt. Volt has a pure EV range of 37 miles.

The problem is the price $31.4K, people will expect it to be much cheaper than a Volt.

And it has to get good NHTSA crash ratings too.

I think the correct term is PHEV like the Volt :wink:

 

[brianman]

That back seat makes my Volt look generous on leg room. Ouch!

It makes airlines look generous on leg room.

 

[RobStark]

It makes airlines look generous on leg room.

Only if you have Yao Ming and Shaquille O'Neal sitting in the front seats

 

[ecarfan]

It is an EREV like the Volt. Volt has a pure EV range of 37 miles.

The problem is the price $31.4K, people will expect it to be much cheaper than a Volt.

Oops, my mistake, I missed the fact that the BYD Qin is a hybrid.

At that price I suspect the Prius PHEV is a much better quality car even though it's pure electric range is less and it's price is slightly higher.

So the Qin has a slightly longer range than the Volt but still can travel using ICE power, and it's much cheaper.

I am unclear on why the market will expect it to be "much cheaper" given that it has a longer range?

 

[RobStark]

Oops, my mistake, I missed the fact that the BYD Qin is a hybrid.

At that price I suspect the Prius PHEV is a much better quality car even though it's pure electric range is less and it's price is slightly higher.

So the Qin has a slightly longer range than the Volt but still can travel using ICE power, and it's much cheaper.

I am unclear on why the market will expect it to be "much cheaper" given that it has a longer range?

Because it is an unproven brand and it is Chinese. Chinese OEMs have to earn their stripes like the Japanese and South Koreans beforehand.

Shoppers will be skeptical of a new brand with no history and a country with no automotive history selling cars in the US.

The first Japanese and South Korean models were far cheaper than their American counterparts.

You fist sold a lot of Corollas before people bought LS400s and people bought a lot of Excels before willing to buy Genesis and Equus.

 

[SteveG3]

Thanks for posting Rob.

It will be interesting to watch. There was an earlier car they repeatedly said would hit U.S. markets since 2010, but never did (as pointed out in the article). I wouldn't dismiss them though... they have gotten their busses out to foreign markets including the U.S., and if they can hit the specs they claim in the article, it's basically Volt range, with much better acceleration. As already pointed out, as an unproven brand they have to be better and or cheaper.

Worth noting, they say end of 2015.

 

[ecarfan]

Thanks Rob, I understand now.

 

[qwk]

Because it is an unproven brand and it is Chinese. Chinese OEMs have to earn their stripes like the Japanese and South Koreans beforehand.

Shoppers will be skeptical of a new brand with no history and a country with no automotive history selling cars in the US.

The first Japanese and South Korean models were far cheaper than their American counterparts.

You fist sold a lot of Corollas before people bought LS400s and people bought a lot of Excels before willing to buy Genesis and Equus.

I totally agree. Not many are going to touch those with a 10-foot pole, UNLESS they are dirt cheap.

 

[Reykjavik]

While I like to see more entries into the hybrid and electric market, I'm tired of seeing 40ish miles of range on a PHEV, and 100ish on a pure electric.

One of the reasons nobody has matched Tesla's success is that nobody else has made an EV with 200 miles of range. 100 is enough if you work at it, but most people don't want to buy a car they will have to work at saving range on. Give them 150 or more, and they will buy it thinking they needed the range, and rarely use it.

 

[RobStark]

The e6 is a long-range, pure-electric utility vehicle. It is a cross between a sedan and an SUV with superior interior space (over 88.3 cu-ft or 2.5 m^3). With over 800 operating as public eTaxis, the e6 fleets have an accumulated range of over 45 million miles (72M km as of May 1st, 2013). The nominal range of the BYD e6 on a single charge (in an eTaxi duty-cycle) is about 186 miles (300 km) and it operates two shifts for nearly 24 hours with one mid-day supplemental charge.

http://www.byd.com/na/auto/e6.html

0-60 8 seconds. Originally to be sold to retail customers in the US for $35k now sold only to fleet customers (taxis) for $52k.

 

[Reykjavik]

That is excellent news then. 180 is a pretty serious distance on a charge. I think they have a real shot at success with that. It could be a real competitor for Gen III.

 

[ecarfan]

The e6 is a long-range, pure-electric utility vehicle...The nominal range of the BYD e6 on a single charge (in an eTaxi duty-cycle) is about 186 miles (300 km)...Originally to be sold to retail customers in the US for $35k now sold only to fleet customers

Do you know why BYD isn't selling that model to individuals? Sounds interesting.

 

[rjcbox]

70km = 43 miles range on a full charge? No thanks. Basically a different shell, w/ the stamina of a Leaf

 

[RobStark]

70km = 43 miles range on a full charge? No thanks. Basically a different shell, w/ the stamina of a Leaf

It goes 43 miles in electric mode, then another 250+ miles using the onboard gasoline generator.

 

[TylerCA]

It goes 43 miles in electric mode, then another 250+ miles using the onboard gasoline generator.

The Chinese culture of money first eliminates confidence and respect. Crash standards in the US are high, so for them to sell and succeed, they must first fix their core issue ~ Quality over short term gains.