BYD Auto plans to become the first Chinese automaker to sell electric and hybrid cars in Western Europe next year.
The E6 electric car is among the models BYD plans to introduce, Paul Lin, a company spokesman, told Gasgoo. The Shenzhen, southern China-based carmaker may eventually design and build cars in Europe, he said.
The pure-electric E6 features BYD’s Fe battery technology. Weighing in a 2295kg, the E6 weighs 50 percent more than most medium-sized MPVs, and performance is modest as a result: 0-62mph takes 14sec, top speed is 87mph.
Alongside the E6, BYD Auto will also offer its F3DM plug-in hybrid to European consumers.
The F3DM is capable of traveling 100km (62 miles) on electric power provided by the battery to meet daily driving needs with combined total mileage of 300km (186.4 miles).
BYD sold 48 of its F3DM plug-in hybrids last year to corporate and government customers in China and hasn’t yet started selling the E6 model in its home market.
Last year, BYD signed an electric-vehicle deal with Europe’s largest automaker Volkswagen. This month, BYD has also teamed up with Daimler AG to develop electric vehicles in China and plans to begin selling cars in Europe and the U.S.
