BYD F3DM Sales Officially Poor
From China Auto Info, a new China auto blog, possibly better than CCT:
A compact battery-operated sedan by Chinese-based BYD Auto has sold only 80 units since its launch last December and may be running into quality control problems with its batteries.
According to Auto Biz Review, 20 of the vehicles, named F3DM, were purchased by the Shenzhen government, with the remainder in use by China Construction Bank’s Shenzhen branch. BYD Auto president Wang Chuanfu said that such group users were targeted in F3DM’s preliminary sales plan, since they were not affected by the vehicle’s high price, which is the equivalent of US$21,917. An expected stream of group orders did not materialize following the car’s initial promotion, including cab purchase orders by the government for the city.
BYD is expected to reduce costs by producing a larger number of dual-mode vehicles that could make it competitive for individual buyers, but did not indicate when this would happen. The automaker also said that a lack of charging stations, unfavourable policies and the stagnant auto market have affected expansion of the F3DM program.
Auto Biz Review also reported that the battery may be restricting consumer interest in the car, as it takes nine hours to charge the car using a household power supply. The battery is also prone to high defective rates, as it is difficult to ensure that all batteries are produced using the same procedure and materials. BYD has claimed the F3DM can travel 100 km purely on battery, but the figure is based on a test at a constant low speed of 50 km/h.
BYD has also claimed that the F3DM’s battery can be charged at least 2,000 times, but has not revealed any detailed or proper plan to reclaim batteries once their life cycle is complete.
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This goes to show that hybrid tech is a very bumpy road to travel.
More on the battery? Prone to defects, or actually defective?
BYD has succumbed to the temptation to blow its horn very loudly before testing this marriage of cell phone battery expertise and the automobile. Oh yes, the possibilities are there for BYD, but its a much longer (row to hoe) than they anticipated.
In contrast, Toyota quietly developed the Prius without anyone knowing that years of preparation had preceded launch. And what did the first consumers get? An almost seamless machine with the ability to propel itself with electricity alone.
@ dragin: Agreed. But also, Toyota had the luxury of cash and time to support their pet projects when compared to junior firms like BYD. It’s a shame, but perhaps if they (BYD) fail in their endeavors, perhaps they will be snapped up/partnered with a larger firm that could provide the time and money needed to get the technology on the road.
I don’t think a small failure will hold back BYD, Aron.
But what gets me is that Chinese manufacturers seem to mimic the Japanese in body design, and many other areas, but not in the area of quiet development and testing before launch.
As for the snapping up….we will be seeing lots more of that in the coming years if the gov’t gets its way.
As to batteries I find the BYD batteries are completely pollution free so disposal is not a problem at this time and American disposal systems exist which China can join with in the future. The lack of charge systems is no problem as these Charging systems exist in America and China only has to follow. American Engineering firms have some experienc putting these stations in.