BYD F0 on to the market at 5400 USD

http://chinesecarweb.com/content/images/102008/BYD-F0-formerly-F1.jpg

The ever challenging BYD company has put into market the infamous F0 (formerly F1 but turned to F0 due to potential copyright violation) in China. Its price range 5400 USD to 6900 USD is set to beat the competitors. Which competitors? BYD won't tell you until they sell up to 10 000 units per month. The Shenzhen based company has spent 5 years (a reasonable amount of time for a chinese car manufacturer) in developping the minicar. the F0 comes in 4 versions, the MT Basic, Comfort, Luxury and VIP variant. It claims a consumption of 4.2L/100 km at 90 km/h. This is quite optimistic as usual. Then engine was developped internally and is all aluminum.

BYD's secret to low price car

The company has seemed to manage reducing effectively the development cost (50% lower than competitors) and the production cost. Well it didn't say much about which competitors (chinese or JV?). Even the current high material price cannot go against the cost cutting force of BYD.

Sustained growth for 2009 despite global economic slowdown

With a forcasted sales of 200 000 vehicles in 2008, and 400 000 in 2009, the company may be showing to much optimism for itself becaused it's based on their 2008 current sales that are very good. It plans to reach an output capacity of 800 000 units by 2011. Well, 2011 maybe the BYD's year because all the major players in the car industry will put into the market their electric cars, and about electricity storage, BYD has its word to say.

Source China Automotive Review.