BYD to Test Market e6 Electrics in US Next Year

In brief: Chinese carmaker BYD plans to begin test-marketing e6 battery electric vehicles (BEV) in the U.S. in 2011.

Vehicle in the news

Make/Model: e6 Manufacturer: BYD

The word

Despite lackluster interest in its home country of China and over a year's delay getting the car to market in North America, BYD plans to test the e6 in the U.S. in 2011.

The company is also in talks with Los Angeles city officials to offer electric buses in the city.

BYD claims the delay in bringing the car to the U.S. has been due to design changes in order to make the car roomier, especially in the rear seat, which would have otherwise been a detriment to sales in America.

BYD will ship as many as fifty of the e6 electric cars to the U.S. by this time next year, mostly to fleet customers in Southern California. Private sales of the car are expected to begin in 2012.

And so ...

The company is pressing forward with their electric cars, despite problems and less-than-stellar sales for both their hybrid and electric vehicles in the Chinese market.

Photo credits: BYD / WSJ

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