BYD to Become First Company to Sell Chinese-Made Cars in the United States

Jan. 14 – Chinese company BYD Auto said it would begin selling its electric car in California by this year making it the first company to sell Chinese-made vehicles in the United States.

The goal to launch the  five-seater, battery-powered e6 by the end of this year is nothing short of ambitious with U.S. crash and emissions testing still pending along with the need to build a network of dealers in the area says The New York Times.

China already surpassed the United States last year as the biggest car market in the world. It was only a matter of time before a Chinese company would enter the U.S. market to challenge GM and Ford in their home turf.

The environmentally friendly e6 will a 205-mile range with chargeable battery able to plug into a home outlet or a fast-charging station. It will have a maximum speed of 87 miles per hour with an acceleration of zero to 60 in less than 14 seconds. The e6 presents a more economical option for consumers being one third cheaper than a comparable gasoline run car.

Since the company currently doesn’t have exclusive BYD – which stands for Build Your Dreams – dealerships in the United States, cars will likely be sold through other dealerships. “As a major developer and manufacturer of electric vehicles, BYD is devoted to creating safe, efficient and affordable electric vehicles,” Henry Li, general manager of BYD Auto Trade Export told the Agence France-Presse. BYD Auto is the fourth biggest automaker in the mainland and just began exporting its cars South America, Africa and the Middle East.

It was founded in 2003, making the world’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid vehicle in 2008. Once an obscure brand outside China, it garnered press attention when iconic investor Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway bought stakes in the company.