Chinese Hybrid Car is Charging Into Weak Market. By Don Lee, LATimes, December 13, 2008. "Reporting from Shenzhen, China -- With the Big Three automakers tottering and China's once go-go car market in reverse, this might seem a bad time for a relative unknown to be launching a new vehicle. Then again, BYD isn't rolling out any ordinary car. On Monday, the upstart company best known for making cellphone batteries began selling its F3DM -- China's first mass-produced hybrid electric vehicle. The car... retails for around $20,000 in China and make its way to U.S. shores in 2011... Among those betting on BYD is Warren E. Buffett, who in September bought a 9.9% stake for $230 million. The billioniare investor apparently was impressed with BYD's green technology... BYD spent several years developing the ferrous battery technology for the car, giving it a quicker recharge time and price advantage over the lithium-ion battery used in Toyota's Prius. But a better battery won't ensure marketplace success. And BYD doesn't have the experience in design, engineering, manufacturing and marketing of its world-class competitors."
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