BYD does deal to supply major Chinese auto group with batteries
BYD F3DM - Click above for high-res image gallery
Taking it name to heart, BYD is building their dreams ever bigger and will likely be the source of even more billions for Warren Buffet in the near future. They haven't really started selling their first hybrid, the F3DM, in earnest yet but they've just reached a deal that will see them supplying lithium batteries to one of the Chinese big three auto groups. Although the arrangement was confirmed by sales manager Wang Jianjun, the name of the battery buyer is being withheld for now due to "professional secrecy." What's not secret is that BYD and Volkswagen signed a memorandum of understanding just last May that would likely see the two in a battery-bound relationship and Volkswagen has joint ventures with two of the biggest auto groups in China, SAIC and FAW, and could very well have facilitated the deal
The batteries in question are said by the company to be good for 2,000 charge and discharge cycles which would power a car for up to 375,000 miles. With overall vehicle sales that have been doubling each year and could reach 700,000 in 2010, BYD is becoming a major automotive force in its own right. Its F3DM hybrid and all-electric e6 may well become the emeralds in its clean-tech crown and the extra battery production resulting from this deal should help them lower their costs.
Gallery: 2009 BYD F3DM plug-in hybrid
[Source: Gasgoo via Green Car Congress]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Serge 4:10PM (8/17/2009)
BYD is making good progress. Keep up the good work! e6 offered with a range extender would be a very interesting indeed.
Reply
Stan Peterson 3:48AM (8/18/2009)
So we have a car battery from BYD that needs a battery replacement in 4.5 years. Just Wonderfu! Just effing Wonderful...
I advise Bill Gate's buddy to sell, NOW.
Reply
NeilBlanchard 10:56AM (8/18/2009)
Hi Stan,
Are you driving 83,333 miles PER year? The article says that the batteries are good for 375,000 miles -- that sound pretty much like a lifetime of the car (10-15 years) to me.
Sincerely, Neil