Comments on: BYD F3DM

By: TerjeP (say tay-a)

TerjeP (say tay-a) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:02:15 +0000

Perhaps DavidL is right when he said that the price is still way too expensive. Sales have been pretty poor.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/sep/23/byd-auto-sales

By: TerjeP (say tay-a)

TerjeP (say tay-a) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:45:16 +0000

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a5nT9dttOs7w

July 31 (Bloomberg) — Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. earned a $1 billion paper profit from an investment it agreed to make in Chinese carmaker BYD Co. less than a year ago.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:08:09 +0000

If you would like to read about an electric car (not hybrid) that is going to make a significant impact check out the Better Place model http://www.betterplace.com/ coming to Melbourne and the east coast soon.

By: DavidLeyonhjelm

DavidLeyonhjelm — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:59:31 +0000

In terms of cars the Chinese don’t have much share of the mass market outside of China.

I agree the Chinese owned car companies are minor outside China (although Chery is apparently coming to Australia in 2009), but most of the big brands are already making cars in China and exporting around the region. Volkswagen is exporting big numbers, I understand.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:53:28 +0000

109 kms is enough to cover at least a one way city commute and a fair chunk of the way home again. Even if only 1 in every 1000 people drive this thing it’s still less people heading to the bowser every day and leaving more for the rest of us

By: TerjeP (say tay-a)

TerjeP (say tay-a) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 11:33:21 +0000

In terms of cars the Chinese don’t have much share of the mass market outside of China. For them to make a significant impact within a decade not only would they have to innovate in technological terms they would also need a massive marketing push. I expect that plug-in hybrid vehicles will make their way into the mass markets in the USA and Europe mostly via familiar brand names. That does not mean the Chinese won’t play a part. And of course the growing market within China itself should not be ignored.

Personally I don’t see a huge future for all-electric metro vehicles in the next decade. Most people want to make a long trip once in a while and they don’t want to own a separate vehicle for the occasion. Also there are times when you won’t want to wait for an extended battery charge process. Hybrids deal with the issue of range and recharge / refuel times. Of course some really high energy content battery with a super fast charge process may come along. However you won’t be charging any such beast from a standard household GPO.

By: DavidLeyonhjelm

DavidLeyonhjelm — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 10:57:46 +0000

Ten years is way too long now that the Chinese are making it. If they can’t make it cheap enough to gain mass acceptance (and $21K is still way too expensive), they’ll find a few more Falun Gong to use as slave labour. There’s the link to freedom.

But I agree plug-in electric cars have a bright future. I expect there will be two types – those without a petrol engine, used in metro areas – and those with a petrol engine that can be used for long distance trips.