BYD « Auto Show by Auto Trader

Posts Tagged ‘BYD’

Going green

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

By Richard Russell

DETROIT, MI – Green was the unofficial theme at this year’s North American International Auto Show. Now that there are more than 20 hybrids on the market with plenty more unveiled here, pure electric power has become the hot button to come.

Cadillac Converj (photo: Isaac Adams-Hands)

Like a lightning bolt from the black cloud currently hanging over the industry, hybrid-electric, plug-in electric and improbable electric vehicles appeared on stands or in news releases throughout the show. Whether by design or coincidence, virtually every major manufacturer touted efforts underway to put electric vehicles on the road starting next year.

BYD
You might not have heard of this company yet, but you will. BYD (Build Your Dreams) is a Chinese upstart that said here it plans to have a range of pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles on the North American market within two years.

They will include the F3DM claimed to be the world’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid sedan and the battery-powered e6, a mid-sized, five-passenger crossover with a claimed range of more than 400 km on a single charge.

BYD (photo: Isaac Adams-Hands)

BYD is the world’s largest producer of rechargeable batteries supplying those used in cell phones by Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and others. It is now China’s largest independent produce of automobiles and plans to combine its battery and production expertise to expand around the globe.

Chrysler LLC
Chrysler showed four different electric concept vehicles at the show including a sports car, SUV, minivan and four-door sedan. Chrysler says it will put one of them, the two-seat Dodge Circuit into production next year.

Based on a Lotus chassis the Circuit is said to be capable of a to speed of 200 km/hr and accelerating from rest to 100 km/hr in less than five seconds. To these eyes the best-looking electric vehicle, hands down, is the rear-drive Chrysler 200C EV.

Dodge Circuit (photo: Isaac Adams-Hands)

This elegant blend of style and technology is a source of great pride for Ralph Gilles, Vice-President of design for Chrysler. He told me it was his favourite among the various Chrysler concepts on display here “so beautiful you would never know it is an electric car “ he said. Chrysler is calling its electric technology ENVI.

Ford Motor Company
Ford says it will have an all-electric four-door sedan on the market in 2011 that will be capable of going more than 150 km before requiring recharging.

It will be part of a multi-prong electric effort that begins with a new battery electric commercial van in 2010, the aforementioned small car in 2011 developed in conjunction with Canada’s Magna International, and next-generation hybrid vehicles, including a plug-ion version in 2012.

“Next-generation hybrids, plug-in hybrids and pure battery powered vehicles are the logical next steps in our pursuit of greater fuel economy and sustainability,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president of Global Product Development.

General Motors
The Chevy Volt has a target painted on it’s back. The topic of immense publicity and scheduled for production late in 2010, the Volt will go more than 65 km on a charge with a tiny auxiliary internal combustion engine to recharge the batteries while the car is on the move.

Chevrolet Volt (photo: Isaac Adams-Hands)

A further development of this “Voltec” powertrain is promised for other similar projects including the Cadillac Converj concept unveiled here. The unit envisioned for the Converj would be comprised of a 16-kWh T-shaped battery with 220 lithium-ion cells, an electric drive unit and a small four-cylinder engine-generator to recharge the batteries as needed.

With 273-lb. ft. of torque from idle, acceleration would be very strong and GM says top speed would be in the order of 160 km/hr. Like the Volt the actual propulsion would be from the electric motor at all times. GM says recharging from the grid will take about three hours at 220-volts and eight from a regular 120-volt outlet.

Toyota
Toyota says it will launch an small urban electric vehicle -the FT-EV, by 2012. It will share a platform with the company’s tiny iQ four-seat A-Class car currently available in Japan.

Toyota FT-EV (photo: Isaac Adams-Hands)

The FT-EV will have a range of up to 80 kilometres. It will be joined by 10 new gasoline-electric hybrids in the next three years. Toyota has entered into a partnership with Panasonic to develop and produce the lithium-ion batteries.

With fuel prices currently at very low levels, interest in vehicles that use very little of the commodity may be low as well. But there are few people who believe fuel prices will stay this low. By the time these vehicles hit the road they may have a very receptive audience.

: Dodge Circuit

: Toyota FT-EV

: Cadillac Converj

: Chevrolet Volt

: BYD

Tags: 2009, 2009 North American International Auto Show, Auto Show, BYD, Car show, Chrysler, Concept, Converj, Dodge Circuit EV, Electric Vehicles, Ford, FT-EV, GM, NAIAS, Photo: Isaac Adams-Hands, Richard Russell, Toyota, Volt
Posted in Detroit 2009, Gallery | Comments Off

Tech from Detroit

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

By Richard Russell

DETROIT, MI – Suppliers play a critical role in the development of new technologies used in the auto industry, commonly taking the lead role and in many cases pitching the new idea to the auto company. Today’s passenger vehicles are so complex it would be rare for any single entity to cover the development costs and employ the scientists and engineers that have to be dedicated to a particular project. While it is common for many of these to be used by a single manufacturer originally, in return for helping fund the development, the contracts allow them to be used by competitors after a certain period of time. Let’s take a look at some of these new developments, the companies behind them and the effect they will have on the vehicles we will be driving in the near future.

JOHNSON CONTROLS
Johnson Controls is one of the major players in the automotive supplier world. With more than 140,000 employees it has provided components for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million homes and more than one million commercial buildings. It introduced a couple of new innovations at this year’s show including its very own concept vehicle, the re3.

The re3 is a showcase for innovative engineering and packaging centered around the fact that consumers today want smaller vehicles, without sacrificing features and functions. Innovations displayed on the re3 include: class-leading storage capacity in the instrument panel, a seat-wing armrest and controller on the driver’s seat, enabling some of the controls to be moved from the center stack to the seat; a conversational seating arrangement , Slim Seating and rear, stadium-style folding seats and Eco-friendly, renewable materials with “natural look” finishes

Johnson Controls re3

Johnson Controls announced it has been awarded patents for an innovative new wireless connectivity technology that uses Bluetooth protocol for wireless connection of cell phones to the vehicle’s audio system allowing hands-free calling. The company is already the global leader in hands-free automobile system, providing them to manufacturers in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia.

BYD Auto Company
BYD (Build Your Dreams) is one of the amazing success stories coming out of China. From a staff of 20, ten years ago, it has grown to 140,000 at present as the world’s second largest producer of rechargeable batteries and a supplier of IT components to Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and others.

The next stage of its growth plan is to parlay that expertise into electric cars. BYD recently bought one of China’s largest auto makers and showed several new models here, among them the F3DM sedan, which it says is the first production plug-in hybrid vehicle with the company’s advanced Fe lithium-iron battery and its new Dual Mode (DM) plug-in hybrid system.

BOSCH
The Bosch name is well known in automobile circles. The German company supplies engine control units, fuel injectors, various electrical components, oxygen sensors solenoids to the industry.

BOSCH

Founded in 1886, it has 271,000 employees in 50 countries, 25,000 of them in 70 locations throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Bosch invests heavily in research applying for more than 3,000 patents each year. One of its latest developments can be found in the new Ford F150 pickup – a brake control system that helps detect and prevent skidding rollovers and trailer sway. It is standard equipment on all F150 models.

FEDERAL MOGUL
Using recycled waste packaging and other by-products normally discarded in a vehicle manufacturing plant, Federal Mogul has developed an environmentally-friendly new sound-deadening product called QuietShield on the new 2010 Buick LaCrosse (Allure in Canada) .

QuietShield(R) is used as acoustical padding in the headliner to reduce noise in the passenger compartment. Federal-Mogul was founded in Detroit in 1899. Employing nearly 45,000 people in 35 countries it is a leading global supplier of powertrain and safety technologies.

VALEO
This French-based company with 16 R&D centers, 121 production plants and 54,000 employees in 27 countries helped develop the lighting system displayed on the Volvo S60 concept car that made its world-wide introduction here. The system could be considered a peak at the where automotive lighting is going, especially head and signal lights.

Valeo headlights (Volvo S60 Concept)

Using only LED (Light Emitting Diodes) the system developed by Volvo and Valeo has a low beam module positioned in the upper part of the headlight to produce a wide, consistent beam that adapts automatically to driving conditions (e.g. city, winding country road, etc.).

The high beam unit has been designed for optimal range in relation to vehicle speed and proximity to other vehicles and since the performance and color of LED lights is close to that of daylight, they offer better perception and more comfortable viewing.

LEDs are loved by designers because their small size and ability to be grouped provide greater freedom of design. They also boast very long life and draw less power than conventional lights. The turn signals, daytime running lights and side marker lights on the S60 Concept are also comprised of LEDs.

Tags: 2009, 2009 North American International Auto Show, Auto Show, BOSCH, BYD, Car show, FEDERAL MOGUL, JOHNSON CONTROLS, NAIAS, Richard Russell, Tech, VALEO
Posted in Detroit 2009, Gallery | Comments Off

Now inside the great walls in Detroit

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009

By Marc Lachapelle

Chinese carmakers were by no means at their first visit to the North-American Auto Show. This time, though, they would not be relegated to the lower level or outside corridors of Detroit’s Cobo Hall. No doubt aided by the absence of several prominent manufacturers, carmakers BYD and Brilliance would set up their wares at the heart of the show, between the giant spaces of Ford and GM.

Bound for Glory?

BYD (for Build Your Dreams) is a leading Chinese battery maker that started developing electric-vehicle batteries in 1996. Six years later, it started work on pure electric vehicles. It led to the launch of the e6 model that was the centerpiece of BYD’s display in Detroit. The company got a double boost of capital and publicity when legendary American investor Warren Buffett – still the richest man on this planet – injected $237 US million in BYD through Mid-American Energy Holding, a division of his famous Berkshire-Hathaway holding.

The electric-powered BYD e6 is a compact crossover built to showcase BYD’s Fe battery, said to deliver an exceptional 400-km range along with 0-100km/h times of less than 8 seconds and a projected top speed of 160km/h. The Fe battery pack can regain half of its power with a 10-minute quick-charge and get a full charge in just 60 minutes. In addition, BYD claims that the battery’s production is virtually pollution-free and that of its chemical components can be recycled.

BYD Auto has launched eight models in only five years and now wants to add crossovers and minivans to the mix. In Detroit, in addition to the e6, BYD exhibited the F3DM and F6DM, both gas-electric hybrid versions of compact sedans that are quite popular in China. The cars share a powertrain that combines a 1.0-litre gasoline engine and an electric motor for a combined output of 168 horsepower and a range of 580 km.

BYD F6 DM (Photo: Isaac Adams-Hands)

The F3DM and F6DM can also reportedly go 100 km on battery power alone, which is substantially more than GM’s target of 60 km with the Chevrolet Volt. Yet, the F3DM started selling in China last December. That said, the car displayed in Cobo Hall was a dismally-built knock-off of the previous-generation Toyota Corolla. It certainly is not ready for prime-time in a cut-throat North- American market where competition is fierce.

At the bottom end of the BYD range is the F0, a subcompact that is the spitting image of the previous-generation Toyota Yaris. It has an all-aluminum 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine. BYD also makes the F6 CVT, a larger sedan powered by 2.0-litre gasoline engine mated to a CVT transmission. BYD’s current plans are to launch in Europe and Israel by 2010 and only “eventually” in North America. Beware the competitor that does not take the fledgling carmaker seriously. Remember Hyundai’s humble beginnings and see the gigantic banner it flew in Detroit this year, for its Genesis sedan’s victory in the North American Car of the Year awards.

Brilliance by association

The story of Chinese carmaker Brilliance Auto is quite different and so are its cars. By outsourcing substantial chassis and powertrain work to the engineering wizards at Porsche, by setting up joint ventures with BMW, by letting Giorgetto Giugiaro’s troops take care of styling and design and by using Toyota TQM system for manufacturing, Brilliance Auto has is quietly putting itself on the world map of car manufacturers. While not a global automotive powerhouse yet, its 300,000 sales in 70 countries last year are nothing to sneer at.

The cars themselves are rather attractive, although not yet design leaders. Brilliance displayed four models in Detroit: the M1 and M2 sedans, the M3 coupe and the FRV, a compact hatchback sedan designed by Giugiaro that looked like a Lancia, somehow. The sedans are ok and the M3 coupe quite decent-looking and powered by a Porsche-engineered 1.8-litre engine. Its closest equivalent would be a Hyundai Tiburon.

Brilliance M3 (Photo: Marc Lachapelle)

All four cars show much better build quality and materials than their BYD compatriots. In the past two years, Brilliance has been a presence at the Detroit, Paris, Geneva, Frankfurt and Moscow auto shows, in a quest to raise public while actively seeking partnerships that would prove mutually beneficial. No timeline has yet been set for sales in North America, but we most likely have not heard the last of Brilliance Auto, nor of its charged-up neighbour.