2010 SLAPDOWN: CHINA BYD EV VS. GM VOLT

BYD Showcases Electric Car for U.S.
Matthew Dolan, January 12, 2010 (Wall Street Journal)

"BYD Auto Co. showcased an all-electric car…that the Chinese company intends to sell in the U.S. by the second half of the year, joining a raft of new entrants seeking to grab a piece of the emerging market for emissions-free vehicles."

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"…BYD Chairman Wang Chuan-fu said the auto maker was still studying the market to determine how many e6 electric cars could be imported and sold in the U.S., at what price and through what kind of distribution network…

"In China, where the e6 will first go on sale, BYD—which stands for Build Your Dreams—expects to sell vehicles for city use by the government, utility companies or fleets of taxis, according to Mr. Wang. BYD expects it could be used similarly in the U.S., while a later, plug-in hybrid vehicle may be more appropriate for individual American consumers…[or BYD may] pick a specific region within the U.S. and initially market "a few hundred" e6s, priced at slightly more than $40,000, through a small number of dealers…"

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"BYD's effort is backed by MidAmerican Energy Holding Co., the unit of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. that paid about $230 million for a 9.9% stake in BYD…The e6 will be marketed as a five-passenger crossover-style vehicle that can travel more than 200 miles on a single charge…"