BYD has announced its e6 electric car is officially on sale to private buyers from Oct. 26th in China.
BYD e6 is priced at $58,169 (369,800 yuan) and each unit will receive $18,876 (120,000 yuan) as cash subsidy granted by Chinese government.
The high-tech e6 boasts the exterior dimensions of a typical American family vehicle, with ample interior space that provides substantial legroom and headroom for passengers, plus a generous luggage compartment. The e6 measures 179.3 inches (4554mm) long, 71.7 inches (1822mm) wide and 64.2 inches (1630mm) tall.
The e6 is equipped with BYD’s self-made battery Fe with maximum output of 90 kW. The E6 boasts a maximum speed of over 87mph (140 km/h). According to factory specifications, it can be driven for up to 188 miles (300 km) with air conditioning switched off.
As for the charging issue, BYD has teamed up with China Southern Power Group to install fast charging facilities in the users home ahead of a mass roll out of charging stations across China.
Compared with traditional fuel-powered cars, the e6’s efficiency is astounding. The e6 consumes 19.5 kilowatt hours for every 100 km driven, roughly equivalent to a quarter of the energy used for the average fuel-powered car. In one year the e6 can cut carbon dioxide emissions by 2.8 tons.
BYD, 10 percent owned by Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc , has already delivered 350 e6 models to a taxi operator in Shenzhen. The longest serving member of the e6 fleet has already reached 150,000km (93,000 miles) without any major issues.
China has declared the electric vehicle industry a top priority, earmarking $1.5 billion a year for the next 10 years to transform the country into one of the leading producers of clean vehicles.
