China’s BYD to beat Toyota and GM?

General Motors and Toyota are working to launch plug-in hybrid cars by 2010.

But China’s BYD Auto has just announced that they’ll be the first automaker to commercially release a plug-in hybrid, the F6DM, and they’ll do it by mid 2008.

They’re showing their F6 Dual Model plug-in hybrid at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

BYD also plans to launch two more two electric cars, the F3e and F6e, in two or three years.

The F6DM will have a top speed of 62 miles per hour (100 km/h), travel 60 miles (100 kms.) on electric power alone (250 miles on five gallons of gas), will need nine hours for a full recharge by home power mains (10 minutes for a 50% recharge with a special power station), and will have a price tag of around $27,000 dollars.

Tags: automotive, auto industry, automotive industry, alternative energy, sustainable energy, electric cars, hybrids, flex-fuel, BYD Auto, BYD F6, BYD F6DM, BYD F6 Dual Model, BYD F3e, BYD F6e, BYD, Detroit Auto Show, GM, Toyota

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