BYD electric car to be sold in US for $40,000
Chinese automaker BYD Auto officially delivered 30 pure electric E6 vehicles to the Shenzhen-based Pengcheng Electric Taxi Company on May 17, 2010. As the world’s first pure electric taxis, BYD E6 taxis have attracted wide attention and support from the public. BYD will start selling the E6 in the United States in 2010 for around 40,000 U.S. dollars.
A BYD E6 electric taxi
Xia Zhibing, general manager of BYD Auto, said preparations for the BYD E6's entry into the U.S. market are well under way. One of the tasks of the recently-established BYD North American sales headquarters is to sell the alternative-energy vehicles. Du Guozhong, BYD’s public relations manager, said that BYD E6 has passed all necessary tests including battery safety tests in the United States, and will go on sale in U.S. markets in 2010 for around 40,000 U.S. dollars.
BYD E6 is a high-performance SUV-MPV crossover vehicle independently developed by BYD. The car is 4,560 millimeters long, 1,822 millimeters wide and 1,630 millimeters in height, with a wheelbase of 2,830 millimeters. There are only five seats in the spacious car body to ensure passengers plenty of room to sit comfortably.
BYD E6 can run up to 300 kilometers on one charge, taking the lead among electric vehicles. Meanwhile, it is the pioneer of eco-friendly vehicles using a rechargeable super-iron battery and a starter battery. The super-iron battery will not cause any harm to the environment and all its chemical substances can be decomposed and absorbed harmlessly in nature, solving environmental problems including secondary resource recovery.
Therefore, it is an eco-friendly battery. The super-iron battery can be charged in slow-mode with a 220V power adapter and a 3C adapter in fast charge, filled to 80 percent within 15 minutes.
In terms of energy efficiency, BYD E6 consumes around 20 kWh of electricity per 100 kilometers, making it only one-third to one-fourth the cost of fuel-powered cars. In security, the super-iron batteries installed in the E6 have been proven to have excellent safety and will not cause an explosion in high temperatures, high pressure and accidents. Using penetrable side rails, it has good anti-collision performance. In terms of performance, it has a start-up time of less than 10 seconds and its maximum speed is 140 kilometers per hour.
Its entry into the U.S. market in 2010 will be a historic moment for BYD Auto. The selling price is expected to decrease once the production and sales volume increases.
