BYD Auto Plans to Enter U.S. Market in 2011 With Extended-Range EVs

DETROIT, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- BYD Auto Company, one of China's top
independent automobile manufacturers and a world leader in green technology,
said it plans to enter the U.S. market in 2011 with a range of pure electric
and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
BYD's future lineup will include the F3DM, the world's first mass-produced
plug-in hybrid sedan, and the battery-powered e6, a mid-size five-passenger
crossover vehicle with a remarkable range of up to 250 miles on a single
charge.
Speaking from the floor of the North American International Auto Show at
Detroit's Cobo Center, BYD Chairman and President Wang Chuanfu also said the
company plans to set up manufacturing facilities in the U.S. "when it is
appropriate."
Underpinning the company's strategic vision of "green tech for tomorrow"
is BYD's own Fe battery. The Fe battery is extremely safe, environmentally
friendly and affordable. It can be quick-charged to 50% of capacity in only 10
minutes, and will have a life cycle of more than 10 years.
The Fe battery is used in the e6 electric crossover vehicle, as well as
BYD's new Dual Mode family of plug-in hybrid vehicles, including the compact
F3DM sedan and the mid-size F6DM sedan, which can run in either pure-electric
or hybrid-electric mode.
At the Detroit conference, Wang was joined by David Sokol, chairman of
MidAmerican Energy Holdings, the energy wing of Warren Buffett's Berkshire
Hathaway, which last fall acquired a 10% stake in BYD Auto's parent company,
BYD Company Ltd.
Sokol said, "We are working with BYD on developing charging technologies
and infrastructure that would help promote plug-in hybrid and all-electric
vehicles. For the electric-vehicle market to mature, the underlying charging
infrastructure and technologies must mature at least simultaneously, if not
first. Perhaps like no other corporate entity in the world, we are in a
position to help make that happen."
Sokol, who is a member of BYD's board of directors, also said MidAmerican
Energy Holdings is working with BYD on demonstration projects that will allow
the partners to store energy from such renewable sources as wind and solar, to
be deployed into the grid when needed.
About BYD Auto
BYD Auto Company, based in Shenzhen, China, is emerging as a leader in
pure electric and plug-in hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles, as well as
advanced battery technology. It is a subsidiary of BYD Company Ltd., the
world's second largest producer of rechargeable batteries and a supplier of IT
components to Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and others. Information about BYD Auto
is available at www.byd.com .
About MidAmerican Energy Holdings
MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, based in Des Moines, Iowa, is a
global provider of energy services. It is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.
Through its energy-related business platforms, MidAmerican provides electric
and natural gas service to more than 6.9 million customers worldwide. These
business platforms are Pacific Power, Rocky Mountain Power and PacifiCorp
Energy, which comprise PacifiCorp; MidAmerican Energy Company; CE Electric UK;
Northern Natural Gas Company; Kern River Gas Transmission Company; and
CalEnergy. Information about MidAmerican is available at www.midamerican.com .
SOURCE BYD Auto

Paul Lin, +86-135-1088-3382 or +1-313-231-8166, paul.lin@byd.com, or Fred Ni,
+1-408-644-9888, fred.ni@byd.com, both of BYD Auto