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Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrids/Alternative, Sedans/Saloons, China, Green

BYD, which symbolizes Build Your Dreams, is a Chinese company with massive ambition to become the world’s largest automaker. If there’s any chance of making that monumental task a reality, the company will need some astonishing products, a stage to present them to the world and a tiny luck. At least one of those stipulations has been met, as BYD is set to capitalize on Nissan’s absence at the Detroit Auto Show in January by placing its products right on the main floor with all the rest of the major automakers. BYD’s working on the product problem too, having just released its first plug-in hybrid, called the F3DM, in its home market ealier this month. If that weren’t enough, the automaker reportedly plans to release two more all-electric models in 2009, with the goal of bring its products to the crucial American and European markets in 2011.

All of these impressive developments have been made possible with the help of a $230 million investment from Warren Buffet. Much like the upcoming Chevy Volt, the BYD F3DM and F6DM sedans and the E6 van rely on an electric motor and an on-board battery pack to provide motive force for the first 60 miles, after which a normal gasoline-powered engine kicks in to keep the party going. Needless to state, we’ll keep an eye out for the budding Chinese automaker next month in Detroit.

[Source: Gas2.0]

Report: BYD plans two more electric automobiles in 2009 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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