DETROIT (AP) — Chinese automaker BYD said Monday it will begin selling a plug-in hybrid sedan in China by the end of this year and hopes to bring it to North America in three to five years.
BYD spokesman Michael Austin said the F6 DM can go in pure electric mode for 60 miles and another 190 miles on the hybrid motor. Austin said the F6 DM has a ferrous battery developed by BYD that is safer and charges faster than the lithium-ion battery being considered by other automakers. BYD said the battery can get 50 percent of its charge in just 10 minutes at a special charging station or can be charged overnight at home.
BYD, which was founded in 1995, is one of the world's top suppliers of batteries for cell phones and other products. It got into the auto business in 2003 when it bought Tsinchuan Automobile Co. BYD sold 100,000 vehicles in China last year, a record for the company.
BYD Chairman Chaung Fu Wang said he believes BYD's technology will eventually replace the technology in gas-electric hybrids like the Toyota Prius.
"We hope to build your confidence in Chinese vehicles while we gain experience in the market," Wang said.
The F6 DM will sell for between $20,000 and $30,000 in China, Austin said. He said the hybrid system in the vehicle costs around $6,000 as a standalone system.
