BEIJING, April 13 -- The chances of
the world's first compact battery operated sedan, which is not reliant on
charging stations, seems still a long way off. The new-style vehicle, named F3DM
and produced by Shenzhen-based BYD Auto, has sold only 80 units since its launch
last December.
Auto Biz Review says twenty of these vehicles were
purchased by the Shenzhen government, while those left are being used by China
Construction Bank's Shenzhen branch.
Such group users were targeted in F3DM's preliminary
sales plan, the president of BYD Auto Wang Chuanfu confessed, claiming they are
insensitive to the vehicle's high label price of 149,800 yuan, or 21,917 U.S.
dollars.
Group orders, however, did not come in a continuous
stream after the eco-car's initial promotion.
Previous reports say the Shenzhen government has
decided to add the F3DM to the city's cab purchase orders but a recent comment
in Auto Biz Review revealed that relevant talks have run into a deadlock due to
'certain reasons.'
In terms of the individual consumers' market, F3DM
will definitely have a dim future if the price remains unchanged.
Cheaper prices are in fact expected as BYD plans to
lower its cost through producing a larger number of dual mode vehicles. Wang
Chuanfu says it's possible the car will cost only 109,800 yuan by then, a
competitive price for individual buyers. But when? Nobody can tell.
Apart from the high price, BYD further confessed that
the lack of charging stations for F3DM's, no favourable policies in the new
field and also a stagnant auto market have all made F3DM difficult for further
expansion.
Also as the world's second largest producer of
rechargeable batteries, BYD, backed by U.S. investor Warren Buffett, has been
leading domestic electric car research relying on its battery businesses. But
insiders with the Auto Biz Review say it's the battery itself which makes BYD
reluctant to open F3DM to individuals.
Moreover, battery charging will take nine hours if
using a household power supply. This time-consuming problem could cause buyers
to think again.
Battery quality is also a concern. According to
sources, the Fe battery groups usually see high defective rates since it is
difficult to ensure all the batteries are produced using the same procedure and
the same materials.
Although BYD claimed that their F3DM's can travel 100
km purely on battery, doubts have also been raised, saying the announced
coverage figure is based on the test at a constant low speed of 50km/h and such
batteries can not support them in daily use.
Battery reclaim is another problem. According to BYD,
their batteries used on F3DM's can be charged at least 2,000 times. However, no
detailed and proper plan has so far been announced on the battery reclaim.
For BYD, more efforts are needed to improve battery
performance and other techniques. Nevertheless, the launch of the BYD F3DM is an
undeniable encouragement for the future of electric cars, since it will
accelerate the development of supporting facilities which of course is vital for
the prevalence of this type of vehicle.
(Source: CRIENGLISH. com)
