Production of new 6B begins at BYD's Changsha factory

Gasgoo.com (Shanghai May 22) - BYD held an official initiation ceremony for its new 6B car, which came off the lines of its production site in Changsha, Hunan on Monday, the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald reported today. CPC Hunan Party Chief and Secretary of the Hunan Provincial Committee Zhou Qiang was among the several government officials who were present at the ceremony. BYD President Wang Chuanfu was also in attendance.

The 6B (pictured above) represents the beginning of a new phase for BYD, as it expands into the field of mid-class vehicles. Among the cutting-edge independently developed technologies available on the car are the 'i' network platform and 'i' robot (pictured below). After being activated, the robot will automatically be raised on the central control deck. It uses emotions, actions and voice to communicate with the car's driver and passengers. The robot can also conduct a full 360° scan of the interior and exterior, where it can examine and access the car's current safety situation. The 'i' platform, meanwhile, offers real-time information relay, assessment on vehicle maintenance and other features. Via cloud computing, drivers can access various other features using their mobile phone, including keyless entry, air conditioning control and the uploading of custom music playlists.

The 6B is powered by a new 1.5 L turbocharged and intercooled engine mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or six-speed dual-clutch transmission. The 6B will be available in four different variants, with prices expected to begin around 100,000 yuan ($15,830), placing it above the 1.5 L turbocharged G6.

The Changsha production site, which is now three years old, is the manufacturer's third in the country. In addition to the 6B, the site produces the M6 and F0, as well as the K9 pure electric bus. The site's production capacity for the year is expected to total 50,000 sedans and 1,500 K9 buses.