Comments on: Chinese Firm Unveils Radical Hybrid

By: Johnson

Johnson — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 04:50:59 +0000

BYD may or may not make it with their car, but looking a bit like a Corolla isn’t going to be a problem

A bit? This BYD looks *almost EXACTLY* like a 9th gen Corolla, except for some very tiny differences. As mentioned, many panels ARE exactly the same as a Corolla.

Lawsuits will be waiting to happen outside of China. Inside Chinese courts, both Toyota and Honda have tried (and failed) to sue Chinese companies that have blatantly copied their designs. Outside Chinese courts will be another matter however.

By: supremebrougham

supremebrougham — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 03:48:05 +0000

I saw these cars at NAIAS, and they not only look like the last Corolla, I seriously think the doors and some of the other panels, as well as the entire interior, could fit onto a real Corolla!!! I mean, they were that close!!! They also had a car that from the side profile was a dead ringer for the last Accord, with a very similar interior design. Why Toyota and Honda haven’t sued yet is beyond me…

BYD…”Build Your Dreams” Apparently their dream is to build someone else’s reality.

By: jthorner

jthorner — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 16:20:45 +0000

The Datsun 1500 looked an awful lot like an MGB, but that didn’t stop ‘em from being sold.

A Chevy HHR looks a lot like a PT Cruiser and was designed by the same person … the marketplace said so what? A Ford Five Hundred looks like a prior generation Passat after too many corticosteroids and VW didn’t sue. Again, same designer of both the Five Hundred and the Passat.

BYD may or may not make it with their car, but looking a bit like a Corolla isn’t going to be a problem.

By: Johnson

Johnson — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 05:45:11 +0000

BYD is not shy about its chances for success in the hybrid and electric car markets.

If the car will actually be sold like that, looking like an almost exact copy of the Corolla, it will flop no matter how good the drivetrain is. I would also expect lawsuits to pop up in certain European countries.

Right now worldwide, there is a big aversion to “Made In China” products after several big health and safety scares from Chinese-made products. Some European countries even go as far as banning certain Chinese products.

By: Raskolnikov

Raskolnikov — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 21:05:55 +0000

I wouldn’t plant my a$$ in this thing even if I was promised a years supply of Kung Pow chicken free!

As Mike Myers used to say “if its not Scottish, it’s crap!”

Sorry, any Chinese automaker must prove itself with several years of quality product before most of us will bite.

Chinese toys kill us. Now toothpaste. Their cars will urinate on our rotting corpses!!

By: Redbarchetta

Redbarchetta — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:47:43 +0000

Talk about a slap in GM’s face if the Chinese can get this on sale in Europe before the Volt sees the light of day. It sounds more compex than the Volt too. I wonder how much weight all these modes add to the car, sounds like 1/2 the weight of the car would be the drivetrain+batteries.

By: Paul Niedermeyer

Paul Niedermeyer — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:18:47 +0000

This is an intriguing concept, as it incorporates the best of both existing hybrid types (serial, parallel). It has the extended electric-only range of the serial, and the efficiency of a mechanical transmission of the gas engine to the wheels at higher speeds.

A better way to describe this vehicle would be a “hybrid hybrid”, since it switches between the two types of hybrid drives.

By: Jonathon

Jonathon — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:50:54 +0000

“Will Lexus be bringing out a 8 mode hybrid that parks itself?”

And gets an amazing 20 mpg on the highway, of course.

By: steronz

steronz — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:42:20 +0000

I am stunned at what a perfect replica of a 9th gen Corolla that is. Although perhaps I shouldn’t be.

By: Juniper

Juniper — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:22:25 +0000

A three mode hybrid? Is this the beginning of the mode race? Just like the auto trans gears race.
Will Lexus be bringing out a 8 mode hybrid that parks itself?

By: Donal Fagan

Donal Fagan — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:19:54 +0000

Jalopnik had a photo tour of a test ride of the previous model: http://tinyurl.com/36q2vj

Worth reading the comments from previous GCC articles:

BYD, isn’t this the company that singed(sic) a long term technology sharing agreement with GM. And as soon as they had learned what they wanted to know, they told GM to get lost.
or
As an efficiency nut, I admire the sensibilities of their Tri-mode. It sounds to me like they made a good choice to underpower the gas motor, and then have only a small gas tank that they hope you will hardly ever need because you will mostly plug in. That saves weight two ways and makes more space for electronics and batteries. We don’t really need a big gas tank for 800+ miles range on this puppy, because the point is to mostly use it as a BEV anyway.
or
Dream On. So many of you are gullible. Y’all beleived the Phoenix EV baloney, and as time passes we still don’t see any $200,000 Phoenix electric sportcars.

BYD is a battery maker that has little experience in auto manufacture. When they have a vehicle that is importable, passes all the required tests, in about half a dozen years, they may become a player.

But by then all the established players will have similar or better vehicles. If they want to win, they wil have to eneter at the low end, compete on price, and build an image.

So many of you justly criticize vaporware and concept cars from the majors; bu then fall for this. But this is the TRUE GENUINE vaporware.

By: Rick

Rick — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:14:03 +0000

I bet it has a tiny gas tank. One moment it’s completely full, and then the next thing you know, it’s empty again.

By: Sammy Hagar

Sammy Hagar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 18:43:00 +0000

Sure, it’s great for the environment…but what about the MSG-related headaches?