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China's BYD F3DM hybrid car is here

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by PriusSport, Feb 20, 2011.

  1. PriusSport

    PriusSport senior member

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  2. Flaninacupboard

    Flaninacupboard Senior Member

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    Interesting. It's going to put pressure on the price of the volt, phv and leaf. that's good!
     
  3. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    I hope all manufacturers of such vehicles see a way of not having the engine rev itself when stationary at the lights. That would really bother me now that I'm used to sitting in silence.

    Maybe they could adjust a few parameters so that the engine only runs when the vehicle is above 15 mph?!? Unless the battery level gets dangerously low.
     
  4. PriusSport

    PriusSport senior member

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    Ah. You bet the British countryside is beautiful. I remember our driving trip through the Cotswalds. Especially the Slaughters.
     
  5. Rybold

    Rybold globally warmed member

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    I can see this plug-in hybrid as being excellent for Chinese citizens that just want a basic car and is better than walking or riding a bicycle, but I don't see Americans dishing out $29K for a dumbed down 1990s styled Toyota Corolla clone/copy with cheap plastic all over. At the $8900 range, I could see someone buying something like this, but not at the $29K range.
    Again, I think this is an absolutely excellent car for Chinese citizens that care about the environment (provided the Chinese govt subsidizes the price for their own citizens).

    Consider the technology in a top of the line Prius with all the technology and leather seats. Or, you could have this Chinese cereal box car for the same price.

    I'm sorry, we're not spoiled. We're just a more technically advanced society than you. We have engineering, computers, and optimization. We are educated, advanced, and we optimize our engineering. We're not spoiled. We're just more technically advanced than you.

    This is a really difficult decision for me... I would rather buy a solar panel from the Chinese that saves me from decades of buying oil from foreign countries. But at the same time, it's very difficult for me (especially with the way the American economy is today) to make a major purchase from a Chinese company. Yes, I know all of the solar panels are likely manufactured in China, but with a U.S. company, at least the bulk of the profit would stay at home. Please chime in - I would love to hear the thoughs of others on this subject. Getting America permanently independent from foreign oil imports is my #1 goal. But the reason for this could be harmed by making major purchases from foreign countries.
     
  6. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    The slaugters? You've lost me there :confused:
     
  7. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    Hmmm, gonna put the cat among the pigeons here but you're more technically advanced than China? Hey they all live in paper houses and ride bicycles you know! :rolleyes:

    This is the same Country that has American (and most of the Western World) around its little finger with our debt. It's also the same Country that HAS designed a Plug In Hybrid car to compete against the Volt (and others). One wonders how much Chinese Government money was thrown at BYD to produce this car compared to how much the US Government threw at GM to produce the Volt?

    Sure it's a nasty looker and probably got cheap plastics and poor safety (for now), but despite some limitations it's still technologically advanced!
     
  8. spwolf

    spwolf Senior Member

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    i hate to break it to the guys who think China is this big bad wolf, but most cars sold in China are from outside companies forming JV's... BYD sold only around 500k cars, less than half than Toyota which is barely in top 10 in china...

    so there is quite little chance that BYD can out of nowhere develop competitive car. maybe in 10 years or so... but right now, even Chinese are not feeling the Chinese engineered cars.
     
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  9. PriusSport

    PriusSport senior member

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    Oh my. Upper and Lower Slaughter.
     
  10. Rybold

    Rybold globally warmed member

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    I never said they weren't advanced. I said we are more advanced. There is an American flag on the moon. We have Predator drones, guided by a fleet of satellites in outerspace. We designed the iPhone4, the iPad, we have a fleet of stealth fighters. I think we invented the magic weapon that helped end WWII. I could go on and on. The Human Genome Project, the world's leading biotech's are in the U.S. (there are plenty in Europe too, but we lead). The top genetic sequencing machines, made by Illumina and Life Technologies are designed, R&D, and manufactured in San Diego, Michigan, and New York). Intel computer chips. Yeah, China has a lot of great stuff, but we continue to push forward, further optimizing and innovating our technology. Money is one thing. Human innovation and brainpower is another. And, let's not forget Japan. Heck, they have the GenIII Prius! :)

    I see you're from England. From what I've read over the years, I believe Europe leads the world in medical research and innovation.
    .
     
  11. Flaninacupboard

    Flaninacupboard Senior Member

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    I don't see a big difference in cars made in korea to cars made in china. even the worst new chinese car will be significantly safer than the cars my parents drove me round in as a child, so they are on the right path.
     
  12. tonyrenier

    tonyrenier I grew up, but it's still red!

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    I'm amazed that Americans don't see that we are now a secondary market. The growth is in emerging markets. From where I stand, this is the biggest reason for our slumped economy. American companies have long left us in the dust.
     
  13. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    Quickly add I like Americans but if I offer a negative view on certain issues doesn't mean its a personal attack.

    I hear what you say in the above comment. Check out the following story about car maker Renault. They pulled out of the overly regulated US market back in the 1980's and have often toyed with the idea of a return. However, the world has moved on since then and it's easier to sell more cars to the emerging market than the US market which is now difficult for foriegn car manufacturers (I'm thinking of Audi & Toyota here).

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12415202
     
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  14. tonyrenier

    tonyrenier I grew up, but it's still red!

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    Yup!
     
  15. justlurkin

    justlurkin Señor Member

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    Back on the BYD F3DM.. I've googled to the ends of the earth but could not find a single article giving any details on its drivetrain. Does anyone have a source as to how its drivetrain is arranged?

    Thanks.
     
  16. sipnfuel

    sipnfuel New Member

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    I think you've gone on a bit of a tangent. The "spoiled" Americans comment was from the author of the article, who by all accounts is American. So now you are directing your comments in the 2nd person, when you should be giving your rebuttal to the author of the article.
     
  17. Rybold

    Rybold globally warmed member

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    Thanks for pointing this out. I apologize to GrumpyCabbie if my tone appeared to be directed at him. My opinion on the subject still stands though, whether the author is American or not. He refers to advanced societies as spoiled. To me, those people have what they have because they worked hard with their brains to research and optimize and innovate their technologies.
     
  18. PriusSport

    PriusSport senior member

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    One of the things I don't like about the Chinese car is its gas engine is downright noisy.
    Aside from the price, I don't think Americans will like that. They will have to deaden some of the noise for the American marketplace.

    I'm still looking for a price competitive hybrid or electric car, and still have yet to find one.
    Outside of the Prius and the Insight, that is. The Insight costs in the low $18Ks and gets in the low 40s mpg. Could be the best value around in hybrids. That seems to be a big secret--except for those who own an Insight.

    The big problem with battery power is the batteries are too damn expensive. That makes the car expensive--the more so with increasing battery power. That Chinese car company makes its own batteries, and they still can't get under $25K for a car.

    A breakthrough in battery cost is needed before hybrids or electrics can be a major market force. And if high gas cost becomes a factor, Toyota and Honda, with the cheapest hybrids, will reap the benefits.
     
  19. ramdulari

    ramdulari Member

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    Another spin on your thoughts, that I hope will serve to lend them the proper perspective, is that the US, as well as several other more developed places in the world, drive innovation due to a more demanding and exacting marketplace. In other words, their markets are more advanced than in the developing parts of the world, thus requiring market participants to "raise their game" in order to succeed and thrive. Furthermore I'd go on to state that exacting marketplaces are the culmination of functional societies (its a societal virtue).
     
  20. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    BYD will undoubtedly build a GREAT hybrid . . . after all look at the great job China did with their Prius knock off . . . . .

    [​IMG]

    I mean heck . . . if it had a fourth wheel ?? I'll bet you wouldn't be able to tell it apart from one built in Japan.
    ;)

    .
     
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