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Volkswagen and BYD partner up for electric cars
by Sebastian Blanco on May 26th 2009 at 7:58AM 
2009 BYD F3DM plug-in hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery
Last week, Volkswagen and Chinese automaker BYD signed a memorandum of understanding to work together "in the area of electric mobility" and vehicles that use li-ion batteries. BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu (yes, the guy who likes to drink battery fluid) and VW's Martin Winterkorn signed the MOU in Wolfsburg, Germany. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board for Technical Development at Volkswagen, said in a statement (available after the jump) that, "Hybrids and electric vehicles will play an increasingly important role [for VW], of course. Particularly for the Chinese market, potential partners such as BYD could support us in quickly expanding our activities."
Perhaps VW was kicked into action by another German automaker taking a look at another EV automaker?
Gallery: 2009 BYD F3DM plug-in hybrid
[Source: VW]
PRESS RELEASE:
Volkswagen and BYD sign memorandum of understanding
Partnership in the area of electric mobility to be explored
Wolfsburg, 25 May 2009 - During an informational visit by the Chinese carmaker BYD "Build Your Dreams" – led by the Chairman of the Board of Management, Wang Chuanfu – a memorandum of understanding was signed last week by Mr Wang and Dr Winterkorn.
Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board for Technical Development at Volkswagen, insisted on personally providing the delegation of Chinese top managers with information. The visit, which took place first at the Elektrotraktion Technology Centre in Isenbüttel and then at the test tracks in Wolfsburg, featured technical discussions and test drives with a variety of vehicles such as the Golf twinDrive and the prototype for an electric vehicle. "Volkswagen will consistently expand its successful 'BlueMotionTechnologies'. Hybrids and electric vehicles will play an increasingly important role, of course. Particularly for the Chinese market, potential partners such as BYD could support us in quickly expanding our activities," emphasised Dr Hackenberg.
Afterwards, the Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, Dr Martin Winterkorn, and the Chairman of the Board of Management of BYD, Wang Chuanfu, signed a memorandum of understanding. The objective of signing a memorandum of understanding between Volkswagen and BYD is to explore the options for partnership in the area of hybrids and electric vehicles powered by lithium batteries.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Avinash machado 8:24AM (5/26/2009)
As it is VW cars have a reputation for poor reliability regarding electrical systems in their regular cars . Now I wonder how their electric cars will turn out to be.
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Bloke 8:42AM (5/26/2009)
Crikey not this old chestnut again. The electrical problems VW suffered were in the mk4 Golf/Bora and the Beetle. The company is hardly reknowned for electrical issues over and above anyone else in any of their other models - unless (naturally) you happen to live in North America.
chconline 12:03PM (5/26/2009)
It might explode.
:|
(Before anyone calls me racist, I'm a Hong Kong-er which is Chinese. :P)
Sea Urchin 8:37AM (5/26/2009)
WOW, amazing, these Chinese companies are shameless. They do not even attempt to create anything, all they do is steal. This car is a carbon copy of Corolla, why is Japanese government OK with this i'll never know.
I am not a protectionist but Chinese cars should not be allowed to be sold in USA because of China's blatant disregard for anything that others came up with.
What kind of culture is this? How do they sleep at night? How can the entire culture exists and prosper by stealing other peoples work?
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Bloke 8:45AM (5/26/2009)
Given that the Corolla is probably the most anonymous machine ever built - and the fact that the front-end styling of this car only apes North American-spec Corollas, not those anywhere else - then I fail to see the point of your rant.
And to broadbrush an entire culture is simply pathetic.
Sea Urchin 9:16AM (5/26/2009)
"and the fact that the front-end styling of this car only apes North American-spec Corollas"--That is exactly what they did, they copied NA Corolla.
Now as far as rant goes, they steal our books, you can download book on-line for free, our e-books, our games, software, cars, technology, cell phones.
Do you ever visit Engadget.com? The have a section called, Keeping it real fake, dedicated to Chinese companies building products that look exactly like the original product.
Do you realize that China has a huge amount of game players, and yet game companies generate almost no sales from China, 99.9999% of all PC video games in China are stolen.
All aspects are stolen and copied, from industrial to intellectual. I am just waiting for Autoblogh.com to pop up, based in China of course, it will look just like this site.
Tagg 10:21AM (5/26/2009)
The Koreans sleep just fine copying the current Civic for the Kia Forte and the old Jaguar S-Type for the current Amanti. The Japanese used to be pretty good at cheap copies in the 1960's and 1970's.
You do know that people in the U.S. steal music at an increadible rate as well as movies and games right? How many songs have been illegally downloaded in the last hour? Millions. Many will sell them to their friends for a cheap price or give it to them for free. It's no different from what takes place in China.
China is not the first country to do this, thats why Japan and Korea don't say a word.
Besides, that battery in your cell phone? Yeah, it's more than likely a BYD battery since they are the largest suppliers of batteries in the world. Designed, engineered and built in China. Just like the hybrid system in their car.
Bloke 9:23AM (5/26/2009)
"That is exactly what they did, they copied NA Corolla."
And the Corolla the rest of the world gets? That's right, game over - for you.
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Bloke 9:26AM (5/26/2009)
"All aspects are stolen and copied, from industrial to intellectual. I am just waiting for Autoblogh.com to pop up, based in China of course, it will look just like this site."
Oh you mean a website containing words, pictures and hyperlinks? I see what you mean, that would be copiying, wouldn't it.
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joe23521 9:48AM (5/26/2009)
That guy's the resident China-hater here. I wouldn't even waste my time engaging him.
ryuryuryturtuy 10:49AM (5/26/2009)
But it's not just the auto thing, it's the entire culture, identity, government problem...
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Epyx 11:34AM (5/26/2009)
Hopefully this bodes well for my BerkB shares!
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Level 1:38PM (5/26/2009)
Once the Chinese have the crash regulations down packed I think they will soon dominate the hybrid market, If anybody its the Chinese that can do everything cheap and looks like they can do Hybrids cheap too lol
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geo_synch 8:38PM (6/13/2009)
It looks like the average, nondescript, boring little Ford, Chevy, Nissan, Toyota, etc.; economy 4-door car; they're all just cheap little boxes. There isn't enough difference in any of them to argue about.
The differences are under the hood. And BYD is probably 20 years ahead of GM, Ford or Nissan there.
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