BYD to launch F3 automatic sedan model in Q1

Shanghai, January 23 (Gasgoo.com) BYD Auto is set to launch the automatic model of its F3 sedan by March this year, and the new car will be equipped with the 1.6L Mitsubishi 4G18 engine and priced below 90,000 yuan ($13,200), said xinhuanet.com today.

In September 2008, BYD Auto launched its new F3 platinum model, whose lowest price of 56,800 yuan has appealed to many customers. At BYD 4S stores, the BYD F3 model only has the 1.5L luxury edition available and all the other versions have been sold out. The 1.5L BYD F3 luxury model now have the black and silver colors for choice, with a discount of 5,000 yuan.

BYD sold about 170,000 vehicles last year, a huge increase from its sales of 90,000 units in 2007. Much of that growth came from strong sales of the company's small cars, particularly the F3 compact sedan and the F0 subcompact models. The company aims to double its sales in 2009.

As a leader in the hybrid vehicle sector, BYD launched China's first mass-produced plug-in electric hybrid car F3DM, or the F3 in the (electric--gasoline) dual mode (DM). The company will begin to sell its electric vehicles, including the F3DM, F6DM and e6 in the U.S. and other overseas markets in 2011.

The F3DM sedan can be plugged into a regular outlet at home. BYD said the 60-mile range battery that powers the F3DM can be charged to half capacity in just ten minutes at a specialized charging station. The dual mode allows the car to run as an electric vehicle for the first 60 miles, and then shift to a gasoline engine for greater range.