China’s BYD e6 EV unveiled in Detroit, will begin US sales late 2010

By Matt Brogan | January 13th, 2010

Chinese car manufacturer BYD (Build Your Dreams) has presented its e6 electric vehicle at the Detroit Motor Show today saying it plans to make the small crossover available for retail sale in the US by late 2010.

Powered by BYD’s own recyclable Fe battery, the zero emissions e6 boasts a range of 330 kilometres on a single charge (in cruising mode) with a top speed of e e6 has a top speed of 140km/h. The e6 can accelerate from 0-100km/h in under 14 seconds.

Strangely BYD did not mention how long it would take to charge the battery.

Shak

CA do you have any more pictures.

lazybones

http://green.autoblog.com/gallery/detroit-2010-byd-e6/

gary

It says half an hour is enough for 50% recharge, 1.5 hours for full recharge.
Andronicus

Well isnt this suprisingly better than expected. Terribly name, but then again Kia has found form on a terrible name and similar badge too.

More competition the better in this field I guess. Wonder how long it will take for the ‘driving a chinese car’ stigma to go away though, im guessing an eternity…
Toyota Guru

Dear oh dear, that steering wheel is a blatant rip-off of an Aurion/Camry design.

Baddass

I’m not seeing it, but the dash is a rip-off the Tarago and Odyssey, IMO. ‘Build your dreams’ is cringeworthy.

Tony

where’s the rest of the article?

projected price is USD$40,000 as reported by other media outlets

good luck

Philthy

Don’t underestimate these guys. They have only existed for 5 yrs and have plans to be the biggest car manufacturer in the world. They have the money and a massive engineering team to do it too.

Tony

i have every confidence in the world that Chinese cars will probably dominate in 5-10 yrs time

however pricing is critical… a $15k LEV SUV would probabl have a fair few takers

$40k however… in the US a BMW 335i is $42k… the Chevy Volt is also slated at $40k (ironically enough)

the Kia Sorrento is a $20-$30k proposition in the US (without the diesels I grant you)

$40k is beyond the ‘dreams’ (such as it is) of the avg. American and is the most criticised part of the Chevy Volt

for Americans to buy a $40k SUV that’s made in China? I say ‘good luck’ again.

also if you look at BYD’s current range you’ll find mostly 1990 style designs and straight out copies which does not inspire confidence

toxic_horse

Well americns have no problem buying cars that are made in america, which is just as bad .

Gazza

Who in their right mind would part with $40K for a chinese made vehicle from a company that has only been in existance for 5 years?
Having lots of money, engineering and optimism does not always make for a reliable, safe, well made motor car.
As the previous poster said; Good Luck!

Matt J

You could NOT be more incorrect

A one Warren Buffett has invested a cool 1/4 billon dollars….

Gazza

So what, still doesn’t mean it’ll be a good car to buy!
BYD do make very good mobile phone batteries though. Maybe that’s what he’s chasing.

lazybones

I think they will do very well. 40K (Includes a 60khw battery – bargin!), then never having to buy fuel again is a pretty powerful statement. Then what about servicing? A 335i Standard service doesn’t come cheap. The E6 has a maintenance free battery back and motor.

Tesla did well, and they were a startup with zero automotive experience. Elon Musk was the founder of PAY PAL. I think it will come down to how well they can market this and overlook the chinese made factor.

Linda

Looks good. I am interested in getting one of these if it is available here. My 4WD uses too much petrol! CA can you provide more details, such as power, price and yes, more pictures please?

MJ

Really now? Your 2 tonne 4WD uses more fuel than a 1 tonne car? Who would have thought…

4WDs should be banned from school carparks and also from the parking spots next to the shopping centres!

http://skyline The Salesman

I love the name. BYD (Build Your Dreams) This would be the first positive name for a car manufacture I have seen stand out.
The name of the car company is also the company motto.
Why hasn’t anyone else done this?
I know every other manufacture chooses a name with meaning like Tiida (Japanese for global Tide) or Kia (Rising Asia) but BYD is right up front

Tony

Chinese based companies often have these kinds of uplifting and florid names. I personally do not think they translate all that well to the West but I am strong believer that if you have a standout product there should be no question what it is called.

The marketing experts will disagree with me.

BYD derives most of its income from the laptop battery market. I think they are the largest in China and by default, that means the whole world.

Their iron phosphate battery is the lynch pin of this whole car. Unlike the Volt and Prius, it has no petrol engine. Any claims of performance, range, charge time are solely the province of BYD and no-one can challenge these claims because NO-ONE has any experience with iron phosphate technology.

It may well do all the fantastic figures they say. It may well be smoke and mirrors which is typical of the Chinese or it may be we are seeing the first of a new type of electric car and the Chinese are just not able to market it properly. We just don’t know.
Matt J

It does NOT actually stand for BuildYourDreams but the initials of the companies Chinese name.

The owner Wang Chuan-Fu is a genuis and is frugal, hence Buffett cam aboard

This auto company is going places

Andrew M

“build your dream” sounds like a name you would give to a kit car.

Head down to Bunnings and pick up your dream car in a box and have fun building it with the family…..
Hayzel

I swear chinese cars are mostly mish mash of cars from other brands in terms of designs and technology. Chinese FFS stop being pathetic and come up with your own designs!! Stop making wannabe copies…

PS: I’m sort of Chinese

toxic_horse

Who cares if they copy designs
binladen

No one use TE battery before. What copy u r talking about!
PS: Don’t say u r Chinese. What do u mean by sort of? R u a hybrid? LOL

Paul

When did they change the badge on the front of their cars? It used to be a BMW rip off, now it’s more of a KIA rip off.

tellus

How are simple alpha numeric texts, in a very straightforward font depicting the name of your brand in an oval now considered a rip-off? Might you not say that Kia and BYA are both ripping off Ford for using an oval/circular shape? Or perhaps are are ripping off the oval because thats not permitted?