BYD sells 170,000 vehicles in '08, to double in '09

Shanghai, January 15 (Gasgoo.com) In 2008, BYD Auto sold 170,000 vehicles, growing by 89% from 2007, and the company will seek bigger sales growth this year, said sina.com today.

The company aims to more than double the car sales to 40,000 units this year by launching more new car models. BYD sold about 170,000 vehicles last year, a huge increase from its sales of 90,000 vehicles in 2007. Much of that growth came from strong sales of the company's small cars, particularly the F0 subcompact and the F3 compact sedan.

BYD plans to launch at least five new vehicle models in 2009, including F5, F4 mid-sized sedan models, the M6 MPV, S6 SUV, and the F8 hardtop convertible models. The 2.0L M6 MPV will be put to market in October and is expected to sell 5,000 units by the year end. It will be sold by the BYD A3 network.

In addition to the Chinese launch of the F3DM in December -- the world's first plug-in hybrid production car -- BYD may also release two more electric car models, the e6 and F6DM, this year. The three Chinese-made electric car models have become the highlights of the ongoing Detroit auto show.

BYD Co., a battery and automobile producer based in Shenzhen, southern China, plans to introduce electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to the U.S. and other global markets in 2011 and is considering building a U.S. plant when it is necessary.