China's BYD Auto introduces electric car with 186 mile range
Mon 21 April 2008
View all news
BYD Auto of China has introduced an electric 5-seat crossover/MPV concept which the makers claim can travel 300km (186 miles) on a full battery charge.
Introducing the car at the Beijing Motor Show, BYD said that it will accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in under 10 seconds and has a top speed of 99mph. The company say that the car will be produced commercially within the next two years.
Powered by a lithium-ion pack built with BYD's own lithium-ion iron phosphate large format prismatic batteries, the E6 can be charged at 220V overnight. However the car's battery pack is also claimed to take a fast charge to bring the charge level to 80% in about 15 minutes. The battery pack is stored beneath the car's rear seats, a position BYD says provides the best protection in the event of a crash.
BYD had earlier developed the F3e prototype electric vehicle, with electric consumption of less than 12 kWh per 100km, and a range of more than 300 km under one charge. BYD said that the battery had a life of 2,000 cycles, resulting in a lifetime range of over 350,000 miles.
The company has already unveiled two plug-in hybrid models: the F6DM (Dual Mode, for EV and HEV) and the F3DM.
Related Links
< Back to news list