BYD Auto sets production and sales plans for 2009

Shanghai, October 31 (Gasgoo.com) An insider for Chinese carmaker BYD Auto said that the company has specified its plans for 2009 production and sales, which include the production of three new models and the self-developed DM (Dual Mode) electric vehicles, and the target of doubling its sales to 400,000 vehicles in the year, said xinhuanet.com today.

The three new models are BYD F8, BYD M6 and BYD S6. The BYD F8 is claimed to be China's first hard-top convertible sports coupe and will go on sale in the first quarter of 2009; the BYD S6 is a large SUV model based on a mid-class car chassis; and the BYD M6 is a medium- to large-size MPV model also based on a mid-class car chassis. BYD said its M6 and S6 are all-new in-house developed models, not derived from its F6 model.

BYD has also announced its plan for the DM (Dual Mode) electric models. Based on its strength in ferrous battery and clean eco-friendly power-train technologies, BYD has recently attracted the investment from U.S. energy giant Buffett in exploring the electric vehicle market. BYD will apply it DM system to the production of all its vehicles. The BYD F3DM will be launched in December this year while the BYD F0DM and BYD F6DM will go on sale in 2009.

The insider said that BYD will be easily fulfilling its 2008 sales goal of 200,000 units and has planned to double the yearly sales to 400,000 vehicles in 2009. This ambitious target is expected to help BYD overtake Geely Auto and become the second largest independent Chinese automaker by annual sales after Chery Auto.  

BYD designed its own batteries that power the DM electric vehicles instead of contracting the power system out like most automakers. The proprietary batteries use lithium-ion iron phosphate. BYD states these batteries will last 600,000 km or 10 years before they will need to be replaced.