BYD Auto F3DM EV: China's Volt Makes it to Detroit, will be Launched in the States by 2011

Along with the E6 fully-electric crossover, China's BYD Auto (which stands for Build Your Dreams) also showcased the F3DM plug-in hybrid sedan at its Detroit Show stand. This is not the first time we've seen the F3DM in the U.S. as the Chinese automaker displayed the car at last year's NAIAS.

Looking a lot like a previous generation Toyota Corolla, the 4,533mm (178.4 inches) long FD3M makes use of a small 1.0-liter gasoline engine and an electric motor for a combined output of 168hp (125kw).

Even though some sites have reported now and in the past that the F3DM's hybrid drivetrain works in the same that the Chevy Volt's does, meaning that the gasoline engine doesn't drive the wheels but charges the battery, BYD Auto's press release clearly points towards a system similar to the one found in the Prius.

"When the vehicle needs more power to accelerate, a gasoline engine and an electric motor drive the wheels together to provide greater output and torque," BYD Auto states in the F3DM's press release.

BYD claims that the plug-in hybrid sedan can drive up to 100km or 62 miles on electricity and 580km or 360 miles on a single battery charge and a full tank of gasoline.

The Chinese maker says that the F3DM's battery pack can be charged to 50% power via quick charge in 10 minutes, and 100% power via household charge in seven hours.

The vehicle also features a solar panel sunroof, which can be used to channel power to the battery pack.

According to BYD, the F3DM can sprint from standstill to 100km/h (62mph) in 10.5 seconds and go on to reach a top speed of 150 km/h or 93mph.

The plug-in hybrid sedan recently went on sale in China for the U.S. equivalent of around $22,000. The company said that it plans to sell the F3DM in the States by 2011.

VW Exploring Partnership with China's BYD Auto on Hybrids and EVs

The Volkswagen Group has signed a memorandum of understanding with China's "Build Your Dreams" or as Toyota's people may put it, "Copy Your Dreams", BYD Auto to explore the options for partnership in the area of hybrids and electric vehicles powered by lithium ion batteries. The agreement between the two automakers was signed during an informational visit to VW's German headquarters. BYD Auto's delegation that was led by the company's chairman, Wang Chuanfu, consisted of several top managers.

"Volkswagen will consistently expand its successful 'BlueMotionTechnologies'. Hybrids and electric vehicles will play an increasingly important role, of course. Particularly for the Chinese market, potential partners such as BYD could support us in quickly expanding our activities," emphasised Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board for Technical Development at Volkswagen.

During their visit that took place first at the Elektrotraktion Technology Centre in Isenbuttel and then at the German automaker's test tracks in Wolfsburg, BYD Auto's delegation had technical discussions with VW's people while they also had the chance to test drive a variety of vehicles such as the Golf twinDrive and the prototype for an electric vehicle.

BYD Auto has made headlines for launching the world's first mass produced plug-in hybrid, the F3DM, but also for cloning the designs of vehicles such as the Toyota Aygo (F0) and the Lexus RX (S6).

BYD T6: Chinese Maker Readying Porsche Cayenne SUV Clone with 2.0-Liter Engine!

In any other case, we'd have a hard time believing it, but when you're talking about Chinese automakers of the likes of BYD Auto that has a history of cloning other vehicles such as the Lexus RX-lookalike "S6 SUV" and the Toyota Aygo-esque "F0 minicar", everything is possible, even the creation of a Porsche Cayenne SUV knockoff. The above image of the Porsche Cayenne featuring a photoshoped BYD Auto grille circulated in numerous Chinese sites, but we managed to pinpoint the original scan on a Chinese forum.

We're not entirely sure if the photo is from an official brochure as suggested since there's a possibility that it could be sourced from a car magazine. Either way, while we have no knowledge of the Chinese language, we're presuming that the closing sentences in the article mean that BYD Auto's T6 Cayenne knockoff is planned to be introduced in September 2010 and that it will be equipped with a 2.0-liter engine.

BYD Auto isn't the only Chinese firm that has adopted vehicle cloning as an accepted development strategy. As we saw once again at last month's Shanghai Auto Show, many automakers from China follow this method to create new cars like the Landwind X8 - Mitsubishi Outlander, Great Wall Florid - Scion xA, Lifan 320 - MINI Cooper, Yema SQJ6451 - Subaru Forester and Geely GE - Rolls Royce Phantom.

We'll keep a close eye on the "BYD T6" Cayenne story and if (or when) we find something new, we'll post it up immediately.

Via: Le Blog Auto , Photo: Club BYD Auto