The cheapest hybrid will be sold ... in China
We're no strangers to Chinese automaker BYD and its upcoming models of electric and hybrid cars. What's new is the claim that BYD is going to start selling the world's cheapest hybrid, with prices starting at just ¥100,000 (RNB) which is around $14,000 U.S. The model will be called BYD F3DM, with DB standing for Dual Mode, once it reaches the showrooms. BYD also announced a potential full EV version of the F3. The all-electric F6 is, however, still set to production. Specifications for this model haven't been released, although it's known that the car will be available with a different array of powertrains. We're still waiting for information on when the car will be actually on sale.
[Source: China Car Times via Autoblog en Español]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
gorr 10:52PM (8/21/2008)
If it make 55 mpg i'll be interrested to buy.
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BoneHeadOtto 11:25PM (8/21/2008)
finally someone made a hybrid corolla.....wait thats not a toyota???
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why not the LS2LS7? 12:21AM (8/22/2008)
RMB, not RNB.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renminbi
Don't forget their secret to low prices.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D827IxEJVS4
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why not the LS2LS7? 1:23AM (8/22/2008)
And you probably shouldn't use the Yen (Japanese currency) symbol for Chinese currency.
GoodCheer 9:12AM (8/22/2008)
According to this video, the vehicle in that video is a VW bus (it's one of the last ones).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irTqF0wPKso&NR=1
Also of interest is the video of the F-150 crash test, about half way through.
Craig 9:52AM (8/22/2008)
The bottom video is of a Volkswagen Vanagon truck, nothing Chinese. I'd seen it on Youtube before. Someone uploaded it as "Chinese truck" to get people talking (although there are other really bad Chinese car crash tests).
why not the LS2LS7? 12:02PM (8/22/2008)
Thanks cool. Thanks for the info. I guess I should substitute the Chery QQ video instead. Doesn't do well either, and as an added bonus, seatbelts are optional on the Chery QQ!
That russian car is amazing. I'm actually impressed with engineering in that case, how did they get the car to fold up that much? It almost seems like you'd have to do special design to get that to happen.
gulags 2:56AM (8/22/2008)
Hate to break it to you, but the Yen symbol is used to display renminbi (RMB) amounts. For whatever reason, no one ever made a different symbol.
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nemoudeis 9:08AM (8/22/2008)
Can I assume that the "Dual Mode" moniker means that this vehicle IS, in fact, a plug-in hybrid vehicle, as BYD initially promised.
Also, did anyone else notice the other story at the site revealing that China was going to "stop importing oil for a time," due to the recent stockpiles it had built up?
No word on when they were going to pick up the slack again; but I'd say having China sit out of the market for any length of time is a significant development in oil market futures.
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GoodCheer 10:24AM (8/22/2008)
"the other story at the site"
Which site is that?
Ben 9:08AM (8/22/2008)
I have seen the youtube video you posted before.
It's not a chinese car, that's an old vw bus.
And they did not crash test the car. They put 2000pounds of extra weight in the vw and crashed it into a solid concrete barrier at 80mph to show off the capabilites of a new crash test facility.
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nemoudeis 4:46AM (8/23/2008)
Oops. My mistake. The "site" I mentioned was the China Car Times, where the story mentioned in this blog first appeared. Here's a link to the "other story" regarding the Chinese oil/diesel situation:
http://www.chinacartimes.com/2008/08/21/sinopec-to-stop-importing-oil-for-now-gas-prices-to-rise-after-olympics/#comment-65803
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