China/World: E6: China builds electric car dreams for the global market

The company is already in discussions with the Chinese State Grid about the implementation of charging stations across the country. “At present, the State Grid Corporation has shown clear support in Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin and other large cities, to speed up construction of electric car charging stations,” our source told us. “A few large cities will have the first charging stations upon completion, and they will become a “test drive ” for setting up electric car charging base stations.”Car show success
The E6 received positive notices from both the media and American car dealerships after it was shown at the NAIAS car show in Detroit this month, and is expected to go on sale in the US by the end of the year.
According to our sources, before BYD’s purchase of Tsinchuan, the company tried other approaches. Beijing Automobile Works was one company that was offered a joint venture but they allegedly demanded, with too much control for too little investment in return. CEO Wang Chuanfu rejected their offer, believing his company would be able to succeed without losing its controlling stake.
With Warren Buffet’s flagship company Berkshire Hathaway having bought a 10 percent stake in BYD, that attitude seems to have paid off. While other car manufactures have suffered huge loses over the past 18 months, BYD sales have continued to grow.
Speaking exclusively to Lifestyle, an anonymous executive said, “We have a very slimline decision-making process, and that makes us more effective. Once our CEO decides on the direction we are going to move in, we move that way immediately. Everything we want, we get it… everyone, every department, works together, like a family.”
On what the future holds, he told Lifestyle, “Car production is an interesting field but needs very specific skills and technology, which is why we produce all our parts ourselves. This gives us an advantage over other manufactures, who outsource nearly everything they use.”
“But cars are only the beginning. We have big plans for the coming years, not just for cars but in a much wider range of products. BYD would like to be one of the pioneers in green products, and will lead China into the next era of manufacturing.” It remains to be seen whether e-cars will catch on, but the E6 certainly represents one of its strongest showings.
Source: globaltimes.cn