BYD Automobile
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| Type | Subsidiary of BYD Company |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Shenzhen, Guangdong, China Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Key people | Wang Chuanfu, Chairman |
| Products | Automotive goods |
| Parent | BYD Company Limited |
| Website | byd.com |
BYD Automobile Co Ltd (simplified Chinese: 比亚迪汽车; Pinyin: Bǐyàdí Qìchē) is a Chinese automobile manufacturer based in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. The firm was established in 2003 and is a part of BYD Co Ltd, a rechargeable battery maker.[1]
As of 2010 production capacity is estimated at 700,000 units/year, and that year's sales reached 519,800 making the company the sixth largest Chinese car-maker by units sold.[2] 2010 also saw continued popularity for its F3 model, which became the most-purchased car in China.[3]
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[edit] History
BYD Co Ltd created the wholly owned subsidiary BYD Auto a year after its 2002 acquisition of the Qinchuan Automobile Company.[4] This purchase may have been made solely to acquire the passenger car production license held by the purchased company.[5] While the Chinese State is credited with development of an indigenous auto industry,[6] BYD Auto may have been created in the absence of a State policy explicitly supporting independently owned automobile manufacturers.[7]
In 2008 BYD Auto began selling its first mass-produced, full hybrid vehicle, the BYD F3DM.[8] China subsidizes oil (an incentive for the State to encourage use and manufacture of electric cars), and Chinese automakers see opportunities in less mature electric vehicles because Western companies have yet to develop much of a lead in the technology.[9] In late December 2008 Warren Buffet spent $230 million buying up a 10% stake in BYD Auto's parent, BYD Company.[10] In 2009 the company sold 448,400 cars in China, and two-thirds of sales were its BYD F3 model.[11] That same year saw BYD exports its cars to Africa, South America and the Middle East.[12]
A future joint venture with Daimler AG, Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Company, will focus on EV development and upmarket, BYD-branded sedans.[13] As of March 2011 the new company has received a business license from the Chinese State and BYD, contractual agreement from its German partner.[14]
[edit] Sales outside China
While the majority of sales are domestic, some models are exported to other developing countries: BYD cars are sold in Bahrain by Fakhro Motors,[15] BYDs are distributed in the Dominican Republic by Peravia Motors[16] (3,000 cars serve as taxis in the capital, Santo Domingo[17]), a Russian company, TagAZ, assembles BYD models in Russia,[18] and BYDs are offered in Ukraine as well.[19]
The company has also expressed a desire to enter the European and Israeli markets and hopes to sell vehicles in the United States, too.[20] Its US headquarters is set to be located in LA[21] and BYD plans to start selling an electric car, the e6, there in 2012.[22]
[edit] Models
BYD Auto has an eclectic product line that encompasses daily drivers of all sorts, including small compacts, people carriers and small sedans. Hybrid electric vehicles are also among its products, and an all-electric model may be currently on offer.
Provisioned parts that go into BYD vehicles may be foreign designed, made in China by foreign firms, or perhaps even ordered from overseas.[citation needed] Non-Chinese auto part makers BYD is associated with include Autoliv[23] and BorgWarner.[24]
[edit] Past models
- BYD Flyer (2003–2008)
[edit] Current models
- BYD F0
- BYD F3
- F3-R
- BYD F3DM (plug-in hybrid compact sedan)
- G3
- L3
- F6
- M6
- S6
- S6DM (plug-in hybrid SUV)[25]
- BYD e6 (all-electric MPV)
- F8
- S8
[edit] Future models
- i6
- BYD F6DM (plug-in hybrid mid-size sedan)
[edit] Copying claims
BYD, like many other private Chinese car manufacturers, has been accused of copying its vehicle designs from other companies. A staff member at Honda claimed that the BYD F3 was "a known copy" of the Toyota Corolla (with Honda Fit design cues).[26] Another model too, the BYD F1, has been described as "a clear copy" this time of the Toyota Aygo.[27]
Domestic dealerships have been known to take advantage of this and replace the badging of BYD vehicles with those of other car manufacturers including Toyota.[26] Micheal Austin, vice president of BYD America, has acknowledged the issue saying that the practices of some franchised dealers have made BYD "uncomfortable".[26]
[edit] Production bases and facilities
Production bases include two production bases in Xi'an, an R&D center and production base in Shenzhen and an R&D center in Shanghai.[28]
In 2010 the Chinese State halted construction of a third Xi'an production base.[29] Building was allowed to resume in Spring, 2011.[30] A production complex in Changsha, Hunan province, will soon become operational.[31]
[edit] In the media
- CNN segment TalkAsia interviewed chairman Wang Chuanfu on April 22, 2009.[32]
- BYD Auto was featured on the cover of Fortune magazine on April 13, 2009.[33]
- BYD Co Ltd, the parent company of BYD Auto, is mentioned in the 2008 book Globality, written by the Boston Consulting Group.[34]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ For year established and parent company information, see Company Profile BYD Auto Official Site
- For parent company innovativeness, see "The World's Most Innovative Companies 2010". Fast Company. http://www.fastcompany.com/mic/2010. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
- ^ For 2010 production capacity estimate, see Beijing Halts Construction of BYD Auto Plant wsj.com, OCTOBER 14, 2010
- For 2010 sales figures, see China Car Market 101: Who Makes All Those 18 Million Cars? thetruthaboutcars.com, January 19, 2011
- ^ Top 10 Best-Selling Sedans and SUVs in 2010 chinaautoweb.com, January 14, 2011
- ^ Company Profile BYD Auto Official Site
- ^ Chang, Crystal (2009). "Developmental Strategies in a Global Economy: The Unexpected Emergence of China’s Independent Auto Industry". pp. 13. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1450117. Retrieved 01/04/2012.
- ^ How the Chinese government promoted a global automobile industry. Wan-Wen Chu. Industrial and Corporate Change First published online: April 5, 2011.
- ^ The Emergence of the Independent Chinese Auto Industry Crystal Chang (Berkeley)
- ^ ""BYD Auto to Offer F3DM Plug-in Hybrid to Chinese Individuals Starting Next Week" Green Car Advisor". Blogs.edmunds.com. 2010-03-23. http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2010/03/byd-auto-to-offer-f3dm-plug-in-hybrid-to-chinese-individuals-starting-next-week.html. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ For China's oil subsidy, see China's fuel subsidy costs the world reuters.com, Wed Jun 4, 2008 8:08am EDT
- For Chinese automakers seeing EV opportunities, see Big bet on better battery-run cars chinadaily.com.cn, 2011-01-03
- ^ 12:29 p.m. Nov. 1, 2010 (2008-10-09). "Warren Buffett looks to electric car in BYD stake". Marketwatch.com. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/warren-buffett-looks-to-electric-car-in-byd-stake. Retrieved 2010-11-02.
- ^ For 2009 sales figures, see "2009 Chinese Auto Sales". Nitrobahn.com. 2010-01-20. http://www.nitrobahn.com/news/2009-chinese-auto-sales-shanghai-volkswagen-leads-gm-trails-right-behind/. Retrieved 2010-11-02.
- For BYD F3 sales figures, see "BYD aims to double car sales again in 2010". Byd.com. http://www.byd.com/press.php?index=0. Retrieved 2010-11-02.
- ^ Marc Gunther (13 April 2009). "Why Warren Buffett is investing in electric car company BYD". Fortune. http://money.cnn.com/2009/04/13/technology/gunther_electric.fortune/. Retrieved 2 May 2009.
- ^ "BYD and Daimler in EV Joint Venture". ChinaAutoWeb.com. http://chinaautoweb.com/2010/05/byd-and-daimler-in-ev-joint-venture/. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
- ^ Joint Venture between BYD and Daimler Receives Business License BYD Auto Official Site, March 1, 2011
- ^ BYD models to appear in Bahrain globaltimes.cn, December 08 2010
- ^ "Peravia Motors presenta al mercado dominicano nueva marca de vehículos BYD" (in Spanish), El Nuevo Diario (Santo Domingo), 11-02-2010, http://elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=186632
- ^ Dominican capital turns Chinese yellow, with taxis dominicantoday.com, 5 February 2010
- ^ BYD ties up to assemble cars in Russia globaltimes.cn, December 08 2010
- ^ "CHINA'S AUTOMAKER BYD LAUNCHES ITS BRAND IN UKRAINE". Asia Pulse (Rhodes). Oct 27, 2011.
- ^ For Israeli and Europe sales, see Israel's Clal to import China's BYD electric cars reuters.com, Thu September 25, 2008 4:29am EDT
- For US sales, see http://www.bydit.com/doce/news/2009521163533.shtml BYD Press Release, 2009-5-11
- ^ "BYD Is Coming to LA". ChinaAutoWeb.com. http://chinaautoweb.com/2010/05/byd-is-coming-to-l-a/. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
- ^ BYD sees mass U.S. entry in first quarter of 2012 with e6 reuters.com, Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:31am EST
- ^ "Autoliv Builds New Plant in China". Stockholm: Autoliv Inc. November 21, 2003. http://www.autoliv.com/wps/wcm/connect/autoliv/home/investors/press+releases/2003+autoliv+builds+new+plant+in+china. Retrieved 01/03/2012.
- ^ Lee, Carmen (November 16, 2011). "As official announcement on new energy vehicles is made, BYD's sees stock price jump". gasgoo.com. http://autonews.gasgoo.com/china-news/as-official-announcement-on-new-energy-vehicles-is-111116.shtml. Retrieved 01/03/2012.
- ^ S6DM BYD Auto
- ^ a b c Ben Berkowitz, Kevin Krolicki and Lee Chyen Yee (2011-03-09). "Special Report: Warren Buffett's China car deal could backfire". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/09/us-wiki-buffett-byd-idUSTRE72848X20110309?pageNumber=4. Retrieved 2011-03-11.
- ^ "BYD's bid to break the Chinese mould". Easier Cars. 2008-03-05. http://www.easier.com/2715-byd-s-bid-to-break-the-chinese-mould.html. Retrieved 2011-03-11.
- ^ For production bases, see Beijing Halts Construction of BYD Auto Plant wsj.com, OCTOBER 14, 2010
- For R&D centers, see Company Profile BYD Auto Official Site
- ^
- Beijing Halts Construction of BYD Auto Plant wsj.com, OCTOBER 14, 2010
- BYD fined, buildings confiscated globaltimes.cn, October 14 2010
- MLR supervises BYD's illegal Xi'an project globaltimes.cn, December 08 2010
- BYD backs away from 'dream' globaltimes.cn, August 27 2010
- ^ BYD says to restart construction of China Xi'an plants reuters.com, Tue Apr 5, 2011 10:19pm EDT
- ^ Beijing Halts Construction of BYD Auto Plant wsj.com, OCTOBER 14, 2010
- ^ "Wang Chuanfu: Building electric dreams in China". TalkAsia. 20 April 2009. http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/04/20/byd.wangchuanfu/index.html. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
- ^ Marc Gunther (13 April 2009). "Why Warren Buffett is investing in electric car company BYD". Fortune. http://money.cnn.com/2009/04/13/technology/gunther_electric.fortune/. Retrieved 2 May 2009.
- ^ "'The world of globality is not flat'". Business-standard.com. 2008-08-12. http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/%5Cthe-worldglobality-is-not-flat%5C/331078/. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: BYD vehicles |
- BYD Auto's official site (English)
- BYD Auto's official site (Chinese)
- BYD Auto Co., Ltd. - Invest in Longgang, Shenzhen
