BYD gets government approval to start making all-electric E6

What did Chinese automaker BYD need to move the all-electric E6 minivan off of the auto show stands and into showrooms? It wasn't new technology or a big stimulus plan. It was approval from the Chinese government to produce the electric vehicle (EV) in China. This approval has now been granted, which clears the way for BYD to compete with foreign brands, as one company official told the Shanghai Daily.

After it has had a chance to make a splash (or not) in the home market, the E6 is supposed to be available in the U.S. The schedule calls for it to make the trek over the ocean sometime in late 2010, and we hear it may cost around $40,000 when it arrives. The E6's roughly 60 kWh battery pack should provide enough energy to go 205 miles per charge.

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[Source: Shanghai Daily]