BYD builds hybrid dreams

Thanks to Nissan's pulling out of the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, Chinese auto manufacturer BYD ("Build Your Dreams") got its chance to shine. Last year, BYD was relegated to the basement of the Cobo Center; this year, they were upstairs, between Subaru and fellow Chinese auto maker Brilliance, where the overhead lights could gleam off the company's hybrid cars.

With a blast of music from the loudspeakers and a substantial investment from Warren Buffet, BYD is setting itself up to take on Toyota, Honda, Ford, and everyone else with a horse in the hybrid race. BYD began in 1995 as a battery producer, so building the car around the power system was a cinch. Like most other manufacturers with a new technology to sell, BYD brought a cutaway car to showcase its dual-mode hybrid system.

BYD's first car, the F3DM, went on sale in China in December 2008. The company plans to bring its cars to the U.S. by 2011, and eventually to build them here, too. The next BYD car to reach showrooms will be a "family-sized" sedan, also dual-mode, called the F6DM. Both dual-mode cars have a 1-liter gasoline engine, an EV range of 68 miles, and a not-too-shabby 0-60 time of 10.5 seconds.

The BYD e6 is an all-electric vehicle with a 250-mile range and a 0-60 time of 8 seconds. It also features a "quick-charge" capacity that can restore 50% of its power in 10 minutes.

In all its cars, BYD promises safety, quality, affordability, and environmental responsibility. It'll be interesting to see how they fare against the IIHS crash tests and EPA mileage machines.