Previously the company has projected it will become “China’s No. 1 automaker by 2015 and the world’s leading car maker by 2025,” but not wanting to bite off more than it can chew, it has scaled back its ambitious a few notches.

The automaker now wants to become a world-class fish in Hong Kong’s taxi pond. At present, BYD has only six electric e6 taxis running in Hong Kong, across the border from its Shenzhen, China, headquarters, but plans are to multiply this 833 times over in a short span of time.

“We expect to increase the number of e6 taxis in Hong Kong to 5,000 in three years,” Liu Xueliang, said general manager of BYD Asia Pacific sales, in an interview with Reuters.

Hong Kong Taxi & Public Light Bus Association said it is renting from BYD an initial fleet of 45 taxis for around $1,000 (USD) each per month.

In China, BYD sold about 1,700 e6 vehicles last year. They go for around $60,000 and are bought mainly by local governments and taxi companies wanting to engance their green credentials.

Hong Kong’s taxi fleet consists mostly of often LPG-powered Toyota Crowns. Last year, BYD announced plans to export 50 e6 taxis to London.

Reuters

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BYD will begin operating an electric bus manufacturing facility and an Iron-Phosphate energy module (large-scale battery) manufacturing facility in the coming months. Both will be located in the California city of Lancaster.

These mark the first manufacturing facilities in the United States for BYD Motors Inc, a Los Angeles-based subsidiary of the Chinese firm BYD Company Ltd (1211.HKE).

“We truly are making history,” said Mayor R. Rex Parris. “The City of Lancaster is honored to play host to BYD, a first-rate firm known around the globe as a leader in battery and sustainable energy technologies. Our community looks forward to working hand-in-hand with BYD as they develop and perfect their e-bus and energy storage technology right here in Lancaster. The opening of not one, but two manufacturing facilities will provide local workers with hundreds of jobs as BYD expands its operations here in the United States, and also represents a significant investment into our local economy and in California.”

China-based BYD, short for “Build Your Dreams,” boasts more than 160,000 employees around the world, with operations in China, the US, Europe, Japan, South Korea, India, Taiwan, Hong Kong and other regions.

BYD’s US corporate headquarters is located in Los Angeles, while the Lancaster facilities mark the firm’s first manufacturing facilities in North America.

“Our relationship with the City of Lancaster started in 2009, when Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich and the LAEDC President, Bill Allen, introduced us,” said Stella Li, President of BYD Motors. “We have been extremely impressed with the resources of LA County and the leadership shown across many cities, including Los Angeles, Long Beach and Lancaster.”

In 2010, Supervisor Antonovich led a trade mission to China, inviting Mayor Parris and City representatives to join in an effort to attract firms to Lancaster. Mayor Parris and his team visited BYD’s headquarters in Shenzhen, China to further develop the relationship.

“We were pleased to initiate this vital partnership with BYD, the County and the City of Lancaster and look forward to its continued success with two new world-class manufacturing facilities that will create jobs and enhance the economic vitality here in the Antelope Valley and throughout the region,” said Antonovich.

As a result of the trip to China, the BYD-City of Lancaster relationship bore its first fruit: the “Home of the Future.”

Upon returning to the US, Mayor Parris led an effort to partner with BYD and homebuilding giant KB Home to create this “Home of the Future,” which utilized BYD solar panels, BYD LED lighting, energy-efficient technologies, and BYD residential energy storage to create an affordable green energy home. “

This innovative use of cutting-edge technology, coupled with the ability of the BYD/KB team to think outside the box to create the most affordable production green energy home our country had ever seen, was truly inspiring,” said Parris. “This cemented the concept in my mind that BYD must be part of Lancaster’s future. Their developing technologies dovetail perfectly with our community’s sustainable energy goals, while also providing stable green jobs for local residents.”

In April, BYD was awarded a $12.1 million contract with Long Beach Transit Authority to produce 10 zero-emissions, all-electric buses. The company’s electric buses provide a range of over 155 miles on a single charge, said by BYD to be among the highest in the electric bus industry.

“BYD is thrilled to be a part of the new zero-emissions legacy beginning in Long Beach with their electrified public transportation. Mayor Foster and LBT CEO Larry Jackson are visionary leaders in that community,” stated Stella Li. “Additionally, our Los Angeles Headquarters will continue to expand research and development jobs to support these manufacturing facilities as well as sales and HR support for all of North and South America – thanks to Mayor Villariagosa.”

BYD has purchased the former Rexhall Industries recreational vehicle manufacturing facility in Lancaster at 46147 BYD Boulevard (previously 7^th Street West) to house its electric bus manufacturing operations, as a decrease in demand for RVs has led to excess capacity at the plant.

Rexhall Industries will combine its manufacturing operations with its sales facility on 23^rd Street West, while President and Chief Executive Officer of Rexhall Industries, William Rex, will stay on as General Manager for BYD Coach & Bus LLC.

A number of current Rexhall employees will also stay on as the plant transitions to BYD ownership.

“This truly is the best of both worlds,” said Mayor Parris. “With this arrangement, BYD benefits from a ready-made, fully-permitted facility which perfectly suits its needs, and will also enjoy access to the expertise of highly trained personnel with extensive experience in the manufacturing industry. Simultaneously, Rexhall staff will enjoy stable, green-sector jobs, along with a significant number of local families who will benefit from the new jobs BYD’s operations will create.”

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The company is calling it the “Green Hybrid.”

There are several breakthroughs said to be tied to the “Green Hybrid” initiative; first BYD becomes the first vehicle OEM to implement the higher-efficiency 48VDC vehicle voltage platforms using BYD’s internally developed Iron-Phosphate batteries (versus older heavy-metal-laden, 12-volt DC Lead-Acid technologies).

BYD said this new technology allows the battery life to be extended to the expected life of the car – no more worrisome starter-battery replacements. Vehicles transition to all-LED lighting, Electronic Parking Systems, Hybrid and regenerative braking, idle start-stop energy management, automatic engine starts, low rolling resistance and advanced aero-dynamic designs.

48-volt DC systems are not hindered by the line/harness power losses experienced with normal lower-voltage systems (saving important energy for batteries). BYD then implemented low-voltage, large-torque, double-winding motor technologies for battery-acceleration-assist and regenerative braking.

BYD said these changes have been shown to save as much as 1.5 liters of fuel per100 kilometers (on a 30 mpg car, that’s as much as a 7 mpg improvement).

Two models of the Qin concept car were on display at the Auto show though the Qin officially launches in mass-production later this year in China.

Qin is the next-generation dual-mode electric vehicle flagship vehicle using BYD’s Dual Mode II system.

The Qin can travel 50 kilometers (31 miles) on a single 10 kilowatt-hour charge and in hybrid mode provides 223 kilowatt of power. This allows for acceleration to 100 kilometer per hour (62 mph) in 5.9 seconds (this was previously advertised as 6.9 sec, but BYD has improved it over the last year).

The Qin also has a top speed of 185 kilometer per hour (115 mph).

BYD said in hybrid mode, the Qin requires just 16 RMB (~$2.50 USD) of energy per 100 kilometers (equating to a little less than 2 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers or 118 mpg).

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The city has plans to replace diesel buses and LPG taxis with electric-powered vehicles. Experts anticipate that this will reduce Hong Kong’s vehicle emissions by nearly 56 percent.

BYD concurrently unveiled its plan to introduce e6 pure electric taxis in the region in May of this year.

Chuan-fu Wang, chairman and president of BYD Company Limited, remarked, “Hong Kong has been dedicated to promoting green transport for quite some time – electrifying public transportation will not only significantly save costs, but it will also dramatically lower the city vehicle emissions and improve air quality, creating a tremendous social impact!”

BYD said the first fleet of 45, BYD e6 pure electric taxis are scheduled for launch in Hong Kong in May of this year. Meanwhile, BYD and multiple partners have already built and tested three charging stations in Oi Man Estate, Shek Wai Kok Estate and Wong Tai Sin.

The second batch of charging stations is expected to be set up before May with the expectation that each taxi will be complemented by a charging appliance. BYD is also collaborating with local industry partners to pursue further developments in electrified public transport for Hong Kong, including BYD 40-foot electric buses.

Public transport is one of the major sources of air pollution in cities. Replacing the eighteen-thousand (18,000) LPG taxis and twelve-thousand (12,000) diesel buses with electric taxis and buses would mean a reduction in emissions equivalent to over eight-hundred-thousand (800,000) private cars, a leap towards an ultimate target: low-city-noise, zero emissions and zero pollution.

BYD’s pure electric vehicles use an Iron-Phosphate (or Fe) battery, which touts industry-leading safety qualifications and superior life. The battery maintains high-performance capabilities over long periods of use and can stably withstand extreme conditions.

Taking the e6 pure electric vehicle as an example, BYD said that after 4,000 charging cycles, the capacity of the battery remains still remains at above 75 percent of its original capacity, and the total mileage can reach over one million kilometers (621,000 miles).

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In addition to manufacturing electric transit buses, the company’s compact all-electric car, the e6, is also becoming a popular model for fleet purchases.

BYD recently announced that the Chinese city of Shenzhen placed an order for 500 of its e6 police cars. Late last year the city of Bogotá, Columbia, ordered just less than 50 of the e6 crossover sedans for use in a city taxi fleet.

In addition to the electric police cars, BYD says that the city of Shenzhen also has 300 of the e6 cars in service as taxis. That fleet of taxis has accumulated more than 18.6 million miles, with at least one e6 in the fleet registering 155,000 miles on the odometer according to BYD.

The company says in a release that the Chinese city is also planning to purchase an additional 500 e6 taxis, as well as adding 500 of BYD’s pure electric transit buses to its current 200 e-bus fleet. London-based greentomatocars and BYD signed a memorandum of understanding that BYD says will have 50 e6 taxis in operation by the second quarter of this year.

BYD says the e6 has a maximum speed of 140 kilometers per hour (87 mph), and a range of 300 kilometers (186 miles).

BYD

Autoblog Green

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This first South American, all-electric taxi fleet will be launching next month with 46 BYD e6 cross-over sedans. These units will be placed into taxi service as of Q1 2013 in the Colombian capital.

BYD Ltd and Praco Didacol (BYD’s Colombian distribution partner) held a press conference Wednesday Dec. 12 with BYD’s Chairman Chuanfu Wang for the announcement.

Ms. Stella Li, BYD senior vice president, says BYD hopes to triple the company’s growth and presence in Colombia by next year.

The district government authorized this scalable all-electric taxi pilot program in an effort to improve the air quality in Colombia’s dense cities.

In total, 49 BYD e6, 5-passenger, all-electric cross-over sedans received approval from the Colombia Ministry of Transportation to operate as taxis in the city of Bogotá.

When they start being used, BYD said they will be the most spacious and comfortable taxis in Colombia. BYD also says they are extremely quiet on roads and completely non-polluting (no direct emissions).

A measure was adopted by the Colombian Ministry of Environment in 2009 so that these types of vehicles could be imported with zero tax. Plus, electric cars in Bogotá do not have license plate restrictions like other petroleum vehicles.

“It is important that the capital city be the first to lead a project like this, because of its size and the demand. The idea is that this project can be replicated in other places in Colombia,” assured Marcela Bonilla, Sectorial Director of Urban Affairs for the Ministry of the Environment.

According to Susana Muhamad, District Secretary of Environment, “this project will permit us to analyze the behavior of the electric cars, with the purpose of reducing the dependence on fossil fuels.”

BYD’s EV vehicles have accumulated over 50 million kilometers (30 million miles) as of Dec 2012.

The company considers its market differentiator as being its long-cycle-life and environmentally-friendly Iron-Phosphate battery.

BYD Auto’s distributor in Colombia, Praco Didacol, has been in business in Colombia for over 95 years.

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