Not to be mean or anything, but Biyadi (Byd) is selling this product in the wrong market, and this explains why their sales are so poor.

The Chinese populace, as a whole, is very far from being eco-conscious. They drink polluted water, eat foul food, and breathe in smog that reduces visibility to half a mile or less. And they are perfectly fine with this, as long as they feel that their economic lot is improving.

Do you really expect the average Chinese citizen to drop 20-grand on an eco-friendly car?...That is DELUSIONAL.

Biyadi should sell its cars in North America, and Northern Europe.

Yes, and why should the rest of the world ingratiate China's GDP, with China producing goods cheaper than anyone else because they have no environmental standards or controls that raise production costs? The West preaches environmental consciousness while purchasing billions from a country that does not. Seems like an oxymoron. I have been to China and have seen their environmental disasters first hand.

Isn't it bad enough that many people in the west (especially the US) feel the government needs to protect their citizens from themselves?  Now we need to protect China from itself?  I am not a big supporter of sending US dollars over there for goods, but if the people of China wish to live in a cesspool to improve there economic situation, who are we to deny them that right?  After all, it is THEIR environment they are screwing up.  Why do we feel that we should have anything to say about what they do in their country?

Here in the US, people in urban areas--New York journalists, for example--dismiss plug-ins, because they park their cars on the street or in parking lots, where they can't charge them. Wouldn't most of the people in China who can afford this car have the same problem?

What about Aptera?  They have a plug-in version of their all-electric cars available in the US.  There is no shortage of after-market plug-in hybrids on the road today.  The claim of first is certainly questionable here.

"when we buy their wheat with our gold, we have their wheat and they have our gold.  When we buy our wheat with our gold, we have our wheat and our gold."  a famous president of the U.S. of A

When we buy their goods we have their polution several days latter, just like when we "recycle" our electronics to them, we have it back when we buy their garlic (near 100% the source of packaged here on the west coast) and their farmed fish etc, etc and etc.  Out of sight, but never out of the foodstream.

Am I a Sinophobe?  hardly!  Just a rationally informed person looking to his own self interest.

Aptera:  why does everyone but me seem to positively hate the styling?  I'm sorry they can't offer the greencar tax-rebates because they are a motorcycle, that sux.

Lets all remember that most Lithium comes from western China.  The next source will probably be the altiplano deposits.  Oh politics, always raising your ugly self! I wonder if we have any domestic deposits of exploitable value?  anybody know?

I believe the benefits of Hybrids at this point in time cause more harm to the wallet and environment.

Everyone misses the point that current combustion technologies have not reached maturity.

A clean diesel Volkswagen with low resistance tires set a 67 MPG record in the U.S recently. A heavier foot would but you under the Prius's mileage. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/automobiles/13MILEAGE.html

The ECOnetic Fiesta that Ford sells in Europe is a  five-passenger hatchback that gets 42 mpg and emits less CO2 than a Toyota Prius and starting $13,000.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/02/ford-will-give/

And these Vehicles do not take into account weight savings that Amory Lovins has outlined in his presentations.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMTCNOlozTA

Exploiting available Efficiencies is a faster avenue right now to reducing car pollution,reducing oil consumption and providing a temporary window of stability in the world demand for oil until the next technologies are ready.

In my opinion the Technology story here, is why the CHINESE didn't go the route of exploiting these efficiencies.

Although I'm not as naive to believe my last sentence it usually comes down to Politics(Government) and a Corrupt Corporate structure prevalent in  Finance and Corporations today.  

I am a chinese and I don't see why so many Americans are fussing about Chinese environment policy or market or culture or whatsoever. If you look at the number of CO2 emission per capital or the number of vehicles owned by one family, it seems to me the best environment-friendly policy human beings could have is that US should adopt the One Family One Child policy, and One Family One Vehicle policy.

Rants aside, the vehicle has technical merit and BYD appears to have the ambition and talent to pull this off.  They started life as a battery maker and supply a significant percentage of the world's cell phone and laptop batteries.  Admittedly, thier lead acid lineup is sub-par, but is targeted toward low-cost shoppers.

It seems to me that the challenge of selling the BYD EV in China is truly a market mis-match, compounded by sales channel and distribution shortcomings.  This wasn't built as a home-market product, but they haven't set up overseas distribution - yet.

It's a chicken or egg problem.  Make the product first or set up distribution first?  I'd warrant they've opted to develop the product and then acquire the distribution.

China, Inc. is shopping the world for bargains, and recently bought the "Hummer" brand - likely for purposes of establishing a sales/service/dealer network for truck based vehicles that needn't pass the stringent emmissions/safety standards of passenger cars (isn't that why GM created Hummer in the first place?). 

Now, Geely is after Volvo - again, not for the vehicles but for the global infrastructure.  Volvo's are sold everywhere - if Geely buys it, within three years the cars will be assembled and sold around the world, but nearly every part and subassembly will be made in China.  They will transition from aftermarket supplier and contract manufacturer to Global OEM in one stroke. 

For example; Fiat's purchase of Chrysler was motivated to provide an established channel for Fiat's vehicles to US markets - not to save Chrysler's aging lineup.  They won't be selling any RAM pickups in Europe, but you can bet they'll be selling Fiat Panda's in Detroit.

BYD has ambitions to be a global car company, and some very heavy hitters including Warren Buffet have bought into thier business plan. 

GM, Chrysler and Ford have reduced thier U.S. dealer networks by over 3600 dealerships - what will these dealers do?  Given few options, some will happily become dealerships for new brands - be they from China or somwhere else. 

Hyundai was once in a similar position.  They had to launch via new dealerships built from scratch at first, then they started converting established dealers (it took them 20 years).  The difference is that China has the capital (ours) to push thier agenda in a very compressed time period, and thier competition is in a very weakened state - making entry less challenging.

Auto industry innovations generally take 10 years to get through product lifecycle development - expect Chinese automotive brands in your neighborhood in less than three years - at first they'll target the economy market, and commercial vehicle (truck based SUV) market.  Within a few years they will target and dominate the mid-size market.

For those who disagree, I have one question - have you bought a U.S. made TV lately?