Chinese car manufacturer Build Your Dreams (BYD) wants to become the world’s biggest car maker by 2025. It will launch its all-electric e6 in Europe in 2011.
The e6 is a tall five-door family hatch measuring around 4500mm in length and has MPV levels of space inside, although it weighs 2295kg.
Power the front wheels is a 75kw electric motor and a lithium ion battery pack. 0-60mph takes 14sec and it goes on to reach 87mph. A 50 per cent charges of its batteries takes 10 minutes and the battery pack has a claimed life of 10 years.
Much of its interior is borrowed from the Toyota parts bin and leather is used throughout.
BYD has just signed a deal with Daimler to develop an electric car for the Chinese market.
Henry lee, head of exports, said it was a "co-operation between oldest and youngest automotive brands in the world".
"Our exports have grown beyond 100 per cent per year for the last 5 years," he said. "We will make half a million cars in 2010 for the first time."
BYD is currently China’s fourth largest car maker, having sold 450,000 units in its home territory in 2009.
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Re: BYD plans worldwide expansion
Ambitious perhaps, but hardly laughable...
For a company that produced its first car in 2005, manufactured about 290,000 cars in 2008, 450,000 in 2009 and is forecasting a very achievable 800,000 in 2010, western marques will definitely be paying attention, I can assure you.
Re: BYD plans worldwide expansion
Would be more efficient if it didn't have the aerodynamics of a brick, the ride-height of a 4x4, or weigh a ridiculous 2.3 tonnes.
Re: BYD plans worldwide expansion
Well, that's ambitious, haha. Even though they've got 15 years, I honestly don't see BYD becoming the world's biggest car manufacturer. I think it'll take another 10 years for Chinese manufacturers just to be taken seriously in N. America, Europe and Australasia and that's if they can get the quality, style and aftersales just right. If no disasters befall Toyota, Volkswagen, Ford et al. I think they'll hold onto the tops spots.