Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrids/Alternative, China, Green, Crossovers/CUVs
Detroit 2009: BYD e6 - world's first production dual-mode plug-in hybrid crossover
Click above for high-res gallery of the BYD e6 crossover
The "BYD" in BYD Autos stands for Build Your Dreams, and this Chinese company is dreaming
As we told you last month, all of these impressive developments have been made possible with the help of a $230 million investment from Warren Buffet. The e6 features BYD's "Fe" battery which receive a 50% recharged in a claimed ten minutes. Granted, the remaining 50% requires another hour or so, but half a charge is good for about 125 miles, which should ease customers' range anxiety. The e6 has a simple but pleasant shape and adequate room inside, so if the price is right, it could attract a broad demographic of buyers -- and that's what BYD is counting on. Check the e6's press release is after the jump.
Gallery: Detroit 2009: BYD E6
Live photos copyright ©2009 Frank Filipponio / Weblogs, Inc.
PRESS RELEASE
2009 BYD e6
As the latest star in a rapidly expanding portfolio of green, high-tech products, the all-new BYD e6 electric vehicle is being unveiled at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The five-passenger e6 will be marketed as a family-oriented crossover vehicle.
The pure-electric e6 features BYD's revolutionary battery technology - what we call the Fe battery. The range per charge is expected to be a remarkable 249mi (400km). Performance is surprisingly brisk, with 0-60mph (0-100km/h) acceleration in less than 8 seconds and a projected top speed of 100mph (160km/h).
The Right Size
What sets the e6 apart from other pure electric vehicles are its size and performance. With current battery capacity limited, most other manufacturers have elected to focus on small, lightweight EVs that stress efficiency over performance and range.
BYD, as a young brand with a rich history of IT development and cutting-edge battery R&D, has the drive and extroverted personality to take an unconventional approach and manufacture cars that embody the company's slogan, Build Your Dreams. That's the spirit and underlying philosophy behind the e6.
The high-tech e6 boasts the exterior dimensions of a typical American family vehicle, with ample interior space that provides substantial legroom and headroom for passengers, plus a generous luggage compartment. The e6 measures 179.3 inches (4554mm) long, 71.7 inches (1822mm) wide and 64.2 inches (1630mm) tall.
Convenient and Eco-Friendly
The pure-electric e6 is environmentally friendly, eliminating toxic emissions and greenhouse gases while driving. BYD's new Fe battery takes this "green" philosophy a step further: All chemical substances used in the battery can be recycled.
And while the range of many electric vehicles is restricted by their battery capacity, making it inconvenient to travel long distances, the BYD e6, with its high-efficiency Fe battery, can go up to 249 miles (400km) on a single charge. That makes the e6 suitable for daily commutes, around-town chores and even long journeys.
The Fe battery pack in the e6 can be quick-charged to 50 percent of itscapacity in 10 minutes, and 100 percent of its capacity in 60 minutes.
e6 SPECIFICATIONS
Length in (mm)
179.3 (4554)
Width in (mm)
71.7 (1822)
Height in (mm)
64.2 (1630)
Wheelbase in (mm)
111.4 (2830)
Curb Weight lb (kg)
4453 (2020)
Output hp (kw)
268 (200)
Torque lb-ft (Nm)
406 (550 )
Range mi (km)
249 (400)
0-60mph Acceleration (sec)
< 8s
Top Speed mph (kph)
100 (160)
Recharge Time (quick charge)
50% in 10min
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
JP 5:17PM (1/12/2009)
That steering wheel looks like it was lifted right out of a Toyota Camry...
Reply
snp 5:38PM (1/12/2009)
SHUTUP. They're releasing a cheap vehicle on a Ferrous based battery. That's about as new as they get. If it can make that 50% charge time in double the time (20min), this whole thing still deserves a standing ovation. I'm surprised the japanese or germans didnt come out with this first. I dont care about the steering wheel. They all look the same anyway.
Give credit where it's due.
nads 6:02PM (1/12/2009)
FIX THIS ARTICLE.
"Much like the upcoming Chevy Volt, the BYD F3DM and F6DM sedans and the e6 vaniet rely on an electric motor and an on-board battery pack to provide motive force for the first 60 miles, after which a normal gasoline-powered engine kicks in to keep the party going."
The BYE is a **pure electric** and goes **249miles** on a single charge. That is what the press release above says. You're statement is deliberately misleading and contradicted by the same press release you're quoting.
PRESS RELEASE:
The pure-electric e6 is environmentally friendly, eliminating toxic emissions and greenhouse gases while driving. BYD's new Fe battery takes this "green" philosophy a step further: All chemical substances used in the battery can be recycled.
And while the range of many electric vehicles is restricted by their battery capacity, making it inconvenient to travel long distances, the BYD e6, with its high-efficiency Fe battery, can go up to 249 miles (400km) on a single charge. That makes the e6 suitable for daily commutes, around-town chores and even long journeys.
big j 6:06PM (1/12/2009)
Are you kidding me? It's a damned steering wheel it only really comes in one shape how different is it supposed to be? What's next? They're using the same rubber on their tires that Honda does?!?!? How dare they!
JP 7:57PM (1/12/2009)
It's one thing to design a steering wheel on your own that looks like an existing one. I wouldn't have noticed if it was another four-spoke design, maybe with the same silver trim and a similar button layout. But it's another thing entirely to use Toyota's steering wheel, without modification EXCEPT for swapping out the oval badge, in their new car. Even the buttons are the same.
One would think that if you were going to copy a steering wheel you'd look at and copy how the wheel interfaces with the steering column. At least then it'd be covered up by a plastic shroud and nobody would know. But no, this company's bold enough to make a perfect facsimile of the most visible component in the interior and expect to sell it outside of China.
ken_aisin 9:44PM (1/12/2009)
+1 snp. Credit should be given where it's due. Besides, I wouldn't doubt BYD's battery technology. They have been making cell phones and rechargeable batteries for many years.
George 5:17PM (1/12/2009)
wtf Warren Buffet? That was a dick move. Why not put some of that 62 billion of yours into US investments, you know, the country that made you who you are today.
Reply
lk 5:40PM (1/12/2009)
Warren Buffet didn't become the richest man in the world by making stupid investments for sentimental reasons.
apearlman 5:40PM (1/12/2009)
What's so terrible about Buffett, an American, buying ownership in a Chinese company? China is a growing market, and everyone wants to be positioned to profit from its growth.
Would the world be a better place if Americans could only invest in America, and Chinese folks could only invest in China?
tekd 5:52PM (1/12/2009)
Why not put some of his wealth to work in the US? The vast majority of his investments this year (and in all previous years) were in US companies. In fact, by dollar amount his BYD investment is pretty tiny, but that's because it's cheap to invest in a small Chinese car company that doesn't have billions in obligations.
Quit being retarded, Buffet's just trying to invest in the future and a lot of the future is going to be from China. Yes, today there's still junky copying going on, but if you really believe that 20 years from now that'll still be the case you're an idiot.
alex 5:19PM (1/12/2009)
what happened to the good ol' days when you could always count on some hillarious engrish from a chinese automaker press release?
Reply
ugg.tryptophan 5:19PM (1/12/2009)
wow
Reply
Gary Lowe 5:27PM (1/12/2009)
Good luck recharging it anywhere in China. There are no private homes in China. There is not even a place to wash your car at most condos or housing complexes much less plug it in. The plug in mechanism or cord will be stolen within 10 minutes of it being left alone. In summary it's about as practical a car in China as a hydrogen powered can would be in North Dakota.
Reply
joe23521 5:38PM (1/12/2009)
"There are no private homes in China."
I didn't realize all 1.3 billion people lived on the streets. Learn something new everyday.
Gary Lowe 5:43PM (1/12/2009)
They live in endless condo and housing projects. It is illegal to build a private home in China except for a few of the "minority people" groups out of the cities.
tekd 6:00PM (1/12/2009)
Yes, in CITIES people live in "endless condos" in high rise buildings...but you can't wash your car in your condo in Manhattan either (even in the outer boroughs lots of people can't wash their cars). And where I live in Buffalo we don't have a place to wash our cars either. Not everyone in the US lives in the burbs.
People in China buy those condos with their own money and have mortgages just like Americans. The system there now is similar to the British system where nobody can technically "buy" a house because all the land is technically owned by Royalty, but people there can sign 99 year leases. In China it's very similar, although they've been trying to figure out what number of years to use (so far there's been different leases, some for 20-30 years, and some for 100 years like England). Just instead of leasing the land from your King or Queen you're leasing it from "the people". Rhetoric aside it's identical.
And there's PLENTY of houses in China-they're just not in the busy high rise cities!!! Go out to the suburbs or commuter cities and you can go buy a nice 6 bedroom lakeside summer house with a "100 year lease" right now. If you think about it, our estate taxes on property make it neccessary to keep paying the government for your piece of land after a few decades anyways so in practical terms it's not very different whether you're buying a house in England or China or the US.
alex 6:14PM (1/12/2009)
Gary, maybe that should tell you that BYD has it's eyes set on markets beyond china
Duders 11:38PM (1/12/2009)
@
Tekd: yay to see another buffalonian on the interwebz
But still, I live here and can wash my car in the streets and if I wanted to, charge it as well.
tekd 3:54AM (1/13/2009)
@Duders
Fair enough that we could probably both wash our cars in the street (I actually change my own oil in the parking lot). But without any hoses and with it being like -1F this Thursday I think it might actually be easier to wash your own car in a busy Chinese city, haha. I haven't really been hardcore enough to lug buckets of water out so Delta Sonic's been taking my money for years.
I don't know how we could charge our cars in the streets though short of tapping into lamp post power wires haha.
Joe 5:27PM (1/12/2009)
I don't want be a beta tester for chinese car.
I look forward to GM's volt.
not this garbage.
Reply