BYD e6

BYD e6
Overview
Manufacturer BYD Auto
Body and chassis
Class MPV C-segment
Body style 5-door hatchback
Powertrain
Electric motor One or two permanent magnet synchronous motors
Battery 75 kWh (LiFePO4)
Range 204 km (127 mi)
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,830 mm (111.4 in)
Length 4,554 mm (179.3 in)
Width 1,822 mm (71.7 in)
Height 1,630 mm (64.2 in)
Curb weight 2,020 kg (4,453 lb)

The BYD e6 is an all-electric crossover car manufactured by BYD Auto with a range of 300 km (186 mi) according to the carmaker.[1] Field testing began in China in May 2010 with 40 units operating as taxis in the city of Shenzhen.[2] Sales to the general public began in Shenzhen on October 26, 2011, after over two years behind schedule (the original release date was in 2009).[3][4] Since 2010 a total of 4,549 units have been sold in China through April 2014.[5][6][7][8] As of January 2014, e6 units are operating in Colombia, Belgium and the U.K. as taxis.[9]

BYD planned to sell the e6 model in the US for US$35,000 before any government incentives.[10] However, after re-scheduling the US launch several times, in October 2011 BYD announced that sales to retail customers were to be delayed at least for 18 months due to the lack of charging infrastructure.[11] In May 2013, BYD announced that the e6 will be sold in the US only to fleet consumers for US$52,000,[12] as the company will focus on electric bus sales in North America.[13]

Specifications

Initial specs

BYD's initial claims for the e6 in 2009 included:[14]

This range and consumption implies a 72 kWh battery pack, which would have been the largest in any production electric car in 2009.

Revised spec

Frontal view BYD e6
Rear view BYD e6

BYD mentioned a smaller 48 kWh battery pack for the e6[16] at its debut at the 2009 North American International Auto Show. However, at the 2010 NAIAS, BYD indicated a range of 205 mi (330 km) per charge, an estimated 0-60 mph acceleration time under 14 seconds, and a top speed of 87 mph (140 km/h) for the e6.[17]

Range has since dropped and consumption increased. According to BYD, the 40 demonstration vehicles that began operating as taxis in Shenzhen, China, have a range of 300 km (186 mi), a maximum speed of 140 km/h (87 mph), and consume 21.5 kWh per 100 km.[2][18] In August 2011, BYD clarified that the e6 has a range of 230 to 240 kilometres (140 to 150 mi) under more demanding conditions, such as running the air conditioning or driving up hill. In more favorable conditions, such as city driving, with lots of stop and go, the range goes up to 290 to 320 kilometres (180 to 200 mi). This claim, however, has not been verified by any independent third party testing.[19]

In January 2011 BYD announced that in response to US consumers preferences, the American version will be more powerful than the Chinese version, and it will have a 60 kWh battery pack with a 160 kW electric motor, capable of reaching 0 to 60 mph in less than 8 seconds.[10]

Batteries and powertrain

BYD’s "Fe" lithium iron phosphate battery, which powers the e6, represents one of the company’s core technologies. All chemical substances used in the battery can be recycled. There are four different power combinations for the e6: 101 hp (75 kW), 101+54 hp (75+40 kW), 215 hp (160 kW) and 215+54 hp (160+40 kW).[20] Most of (or at least part of) the e6 battery pack is located on the belly pan of the vehicle.[21] The two-motor options use front and rear motors, making the car all-wheel drive.

Safety

Crash and fire

After a high-speed car crashed into a BYD e6 taxi in Shenzhen on May 26, 2012, the electric car caught fire after hitting a tree and all three occupants died in the accident.[22] The Chinese investigative team concluded that the cause of the fire was "electric arcs caused by the short-circuiting of high voltage lines of the high voltage distribution box ignited combustible material in the vehicle including the interior materials and part of the power batteries." The team also found that the collisions were the cause of death of the occupants, not the fire. They also noted that the battery pack did not explode, and 75% of the single cell batteries did not catch on fire, and no flaws in the safety design of the vehicle were identified.[23]

Interior

Interior.

The e6 features the latest body/frame-integral construction, with the battery pack protected in a compartment that is fully integrated into the vehicle. The battery pack's outer dimensions are: 175 cm (69 in) long, 95 cm (37 in) wide and 30 cm (12 in) in height.

The 5-passenger e6 is marketed as a family-oriented crossover vehicle.

Policies

On November 4, 2012, BYD released its new solution for promoting the sales of its pure-electric vehicle e6 and electric bus at a Beijing-based press conference, which is called "Zero vehicle purchase price, Zero costs, Zero emissions" and supported financially by China Development Bank,[24][25] over 30 Billion RMB ($4.6B USD) now being ready for this financial program.[25] According to the scheme targeting specifically the public transit operators/companies, customers can choose one of three provided optional operating models which could be most suitable to themselves. The three operating models as the following table reads.[26][27]

Model Financing Body Lease Period Ownership
Financial Lease Finance Company A complete electric vehicle operational life cycle (e.g. 5 years) During the lease period, the financial organization owns the electric vehicle. The taxi company pays the lease in instalments. After the lease period ends, the taxi company owns the vehicle.
Operational Lease Third party vehicle lease company A complete electric vehicle operational life cycle (e.g. 5 years) or a shorter period (e.g. 1 year) During this lease period and after it ends, the vehicle lease company owns the vehicle. The taxi company and the vehicle lease company sign an operational lease contract for the lease.
Buyer's Credit The Taxi Company The taxi company has ownership of the vehicle. The taxi company pays monthly instalments to the financial institution.

The policy initiate explained the concept of "ZERO COST" by comparing the five-year fees between a fuel taxi and its all-electric cab in Shenzhen city and after a sequence of calculations, it came to the conclusion that "if the hire car runs for 5 years, and the total saving over 5 years is deducted from the higher cost of the vehicle and the interest on multiple payments, it can save 326,400 RMB.[25][26][27] Besides, the company said if enough mileages are done, "the vehicle payment will be entirely offset".[25] BYD also emphasized the "ZERO EMISSION" feature of its renewable-energy vehicles by stating that "an e6 electric taxi saves 14,120 litres of fuel per year, with 32 tonnes fewer CO2 emissions", and "169 million litres of fuel could be saved with CO2 emissions reduced by 38.62 million tonnes per year" if all Chinese taxis would be replaced with its EVs.[26][27]

Currently, this policy is only eligible for Chinese market.[25]

Markets

China

BYD e6 taxi in Shenzhen, China.
BYD e6 taxi in Hong Kong.
BYD e6 electric police car in Shenzhen, China.

In March 2010, the South China Morning Post reported that BYD had postponed plans to mass-produce purely electric cars in China in 2010, to instead only produce 100 e6 cars for use as taxis in Shenzhen for field testing in 2010 in favor of marketing the less-expensive F3DM plug-in hybrid for the Chinese market.[1][28]

The field testing program in Shenzhen began in May 2010 with 40 e6 electric cars running as taxis operated by BYD's subsidiary Pengcheng Electric Taxi Co.,[18] out of a fleet of 100 planned to be deployed later in 2010.[18][28] This expansion did not take place, as 50 cars ended up being used. BYD released an upbeat announcement about the success of the testing program in conjunction with investor Warren Buffett's September visit, but did not release any information about range, acceleration or speed achieved by the test cars.[29]

In April 2011, one year after the taxi trial began, BYD reported that its e6 taxi fleet in Shenzhen had accumulated a total of around 1,730,000 miles (2,780,000 km). The electric taxis are continuously quick charged in 20 to 30 minutes without showing any diminished range or drop in battery performance due to rapid-charging conditions, which according to BYD, "provides a proven track record for its Iron-Phosphate battery technology." BYD also announced that 250 e6s are being delivered to the International University in Shenzhen before August 2011.[30] In June 2011 BYD announced that the fleet of e6 taxicabs had surpassed 1,864,114 miles (3,000,001 km)[31]

In October 2011 BYD commenced sales of the e6 to the general public of Shenzhen at a price of 369,800 RMB (~$56,900) before government subsidies. After the subsidies the price drops to 249,800 RMB (~$38,430). Production e6s will be equipped with BYD's new i system, which enables owners to control parts of the car (e.g. the air conditioning and door locks) remotely from a smartphone.[4] Only 33 units were sold in 2010,[32] 401 during 2011, 1,690 in 2012, and 1,544 during 2013.[6] Cumulative sales reached 4,549 units through April 2014.[5][6][7][8]

At the very beginning of 2013, BYD won a big order for providing 500 battery-electric, e6 police vehicles to the Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau, adding to the existing 300 BYD e6 Taxis with 18.6 Million Total Miles in this city.[33][34]

45 units of BYD e6 are scheduled for Hong Kong as e-taxis in May, 2012 according to Mr. Wang Chuanfu, Chairman and President of BYD Co. Ltd. when he addressed at a press conference for BYD’s Electrified Transportation Solution aiming at a dramatical automobile emission-reduction of 56% for this city. The amount of BYD e6 taxis in Hong Kong may hit up to 1,000 next year and then enormously increase to 3,000 units by 2015. The first batch of charging poles for these 45 BYD e-cabs are under construction at present and the second batch of charging stations is expected to be in place before this May, ensuring that each e-taxi will get access to one charging appliance.[35][36][37][38]

Colombia

The first South American all-electric taxi fleet made up of BYD e6 was launched at the beginning of 2013 in Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia after receiving operation approval by the Colombia Ministry of Transportation without any bothering license plate restrictions, in an effort to improve the local air quality and set an example to other cities in this green-energy chasing country.[39][40][41] In September 2013 a total of 45 e6 taxis of this pilot program were delivered. The e6 fleet are part of Colombia’s "BIOTAXIS Project."[42] This e-taxi fleet has also operated in the charge of Praco Didacol, the distributor of BYD Auto in Colombia. Another three BYD e6s were sent to Colceincias, Bogota’s Tech, Science and Innovation Administration.[41]

Costa Rica

In January 2013 the local representative of BYD Auto signed an agreement with the Costa Rican Ministry of Environment and Energy to deploy 200 BYD e6 electric cars for use as "green taxis." The electric cars will be exempt from import duties and the government has agreed to deploy charging stations in strategic locations in the city of San José, the country's capital.[43] Since May 2013 the e6 is available for sale for taxi use only.[44]

The Netherlands

In June 2011 BYD and the city of Rotterdam entered a binding agreement for an undisclosed amount of e6s to be delivered for use as taxicabs. The deal is part of a larger scheme named 75-EV-RO, where the city has pledged to purchase 75 alternative energy vehicles.[31] In December 2013 the Rotterdam Taxi Centre, one of the biggest taxi operators in the Netherlands, put two e6 taxis into service a successful trial period. The company plans to expand its e6 fleet to 25 within the next 19 months.[45]

United Kingdom

Private hire e6 in London

BYD signed an agreement with Green Tomato Cars, the second largest quality minicab service in London, to deliver a 50-unit fleet of BYD e6 to the city. The delivery was scheduled to take place in the second quarter of 2013.[46][47] In February 2014 Green Tomato Cars announced that the deal with BYD was canceled.[48] However, 20 units were delivered in February 2014 to run as minicabs in London by a new firm called Thriev.[48][49]

United States

In 2009 BYD indicated the e6 would be available in the United States in 2010 at a price just over US$40,000,[50] and planned a rollout beginning in Southern California followed by several American cities.[51] On October 2010 BYD announced that it was delaying its plans and US sales were re-scheduled to 2011.[52] On December 2010 the carmaker announced plans to ship as many as 50 BYD e6 electric cars by the end of 2011 to fleet customers in Southern California, including the municipal government of Los Angeles.[53] BYD plans to sell the e6 model in the US for US$35,000 before any government incentives.[10] One of the biggest obstacles will be passing US crash testing, something which BYD plans to complete in 2011.[10] As of August 2011, sales were scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2012.[19] However, in October 2011 BYD opened its headquarters in Los Angeles, a year behind schedule, and announced that retail sales will be delayed at least for 18 months due to the lack of charging infrastructure.[11]

Some commentators have noted that BYD has yet to bring a single all-electric car to the American consumer market and has repeatedly missed launch deadlines, giving rise to speculation about BYD's labor-intensive process of cell production's capability of achieving the uniformity of quality required for electric car batteries.[54]

In 2010 the City of Los Angeles agreed to purchase 10 e6 electric cars and lease a further 20. City officials also intend to start a pilot program running five of BYD's K9 electric buses.[55]

As of 19 February 2013, there were 11 units of BYD e6 reaching US from China and then heading to BYD North America headquarters located in Los Angeles. However the purpose of this fleet has not been officially proclaimed.[56] In May 2013, BYD announced that the e6 will be sold in the US only to fleet consumers, and instead of making the car available to the general public, the company will focus on electric bus sales in North America.[13]

Taiwan

BYD Taiwan, a joint venture of BYD Hong Kong and Taiwan Solar Energy Co., said it has received orders from a local taxi association for more than 1,500 e6 cars, with delivery scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2014. The company said it has commissioned a local automaker to assemble the first BYD e6 vehicles to be sold in Taiwan to speed up regulatory inspections and approvals.[57]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Tian, Ying; James, Stanley (2010-03-16). "BYD Scales Back Its Electric-Car Plans, Morning Post Reports". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "BYD E6 Taxis Hit Roads in South China City". Electric Vehicle News. 2010-05-18. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
  3. ↑ "Keep Dangling the Carrot: BYD Postpones General Release of the All-Electric e6 Yet Again". ChinaAutoWeb. 2010-09-03.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "First Pure-Electric Vehicle now available for Consumers in China". BYD Energy. 27 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Mat Gasnier (2013-01-14). "China Full Year 2012: Ford Focus triumphs". Best Selling Car Blog. Retrieved 2013-01-22.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Mat Gasnier (2014-01-14). "China December 2013: Focus on the all-new models". Best Selling Cars Blog. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Mat Gasnier (2014-04-16). "China First Quarter 2014: VW Santana, Haval H6 & ChangAn Honor biggest gainers in Top 30". Best Selling Cars Blog. Retrieved 2014-04-26. Qin sales totaled 2,384 units during 1Q 2014.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Tiger Ruan (2014-05-14). "Sales of BYD in April Decreased 13%, Qin Sales Increases Monthly". Gasgoo Automotive News. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
  9. ↑ Tian Ying and Chua Kong Ho (2014-01-14). "Buffett-Backed BYD Says Chinese Cars to Debut in U.S.". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Brad Berman (2011-01-09). "BYD Announces Breakthrough US Pricing for Chinese Long-Range Electric Cars". PluginCars.com. Retrieved 2011-01-11.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Alan Ohnsman and Christopher Palmeri (2011-10-24). "Buffett-Backed Carmaker Arrives in L.A. Late With Fewer Jobs". Bloomberg Markets. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  12. ↑ Woody, Todd. "From China to Los Angeles, Taking the Electric Bus". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Antony Ingram (2013-04-08). "BYD e6 Chinese Electric Car Won't Be Sold To Consumers In US". Green Car Reports. Retrieved 2013-05-11.
  14. ↑ "Showroom/e6". BYD Auto. 23 August 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  15. ↑ https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/for-the-road/charging-your-vehicle/ac-dc-fast-chargers
  16. ↑ Paul Evans (2009-01-14). "BYD target US launch for electric cars in 2011". Gizmag. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  17. ↑ Ben Coxworth (2010-01-13). "BYD e6 EV goes 205 miles between charges, coming to the US in 2010". Gizmag. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 "40 BYD e6-Based Electric Taxis Enter Service in Shenzhen City". Green Car Congress. 2010-05-18. Archived from the original on 23 May 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Alysha Webb (2011-08-04). "BYD Says It's On Track to Deliver Electric Car In Q2 2012". PluginCars.com. Retrieved 2011-08-06.
  20. ↑ "BYD Shows Production F3DM PHEV and F6DM in Detroit; Introduces Battery-Electric e6 Crossover". Green Car Congress. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  21. ↑ "Static Evaluation BYD e6 Electric Car". Xincar. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  22. ↑ China Autoweb (2012-05-28). "Initial details on fiery crash involving BYD e6 that killed 3". Green Car Congress. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
  23. ↑ "Investigation concludes fire in BYD e6 collision caused by electric arcs from short circuit igniting interior materials and part of power battery". Green Car Congress. 2012-08-10. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
  24. ↑ "BYD to sell electric cars with zero down payment". ChinaDaily.com. 2012-11-05. Retrieved 2012-11-13.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 "From Free Phones to Free Taxis, BYD and China Development Bank Offer Break-Through Financing on Electrified Public Transportation". Businesswire.com. 2012-11-08. Retrieved 2012-11-13.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 "BYD To Offer Electric Vehicles With Zero Down Payment". electriccarsreport.com. 2012-11-08. Retrieved 2012-11-13.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 "BYD launches "Zero vehicle purchase price, Zero costs, Zero emissions" city electric public transport solution". bydcompany.wordpress.com. 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2012-11-13.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 "China's BYD seems to be Losing Momentum on Electric Cars". TreeHugger. 2010-03-18. Archived from the original on 22 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
  29. ↑ "BYD e6 Achieves Fleet Distance Milestone – Over 600,000 Kilometers Logged". BYD Auto Press. 2010-09-27. Retrieved 2011-01-19.
  30. ↑ "BYD reports plug-in fleet test results; rapid charging not diminishing capacity". Green Car Congress. 2011-04-29. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Loveday, Eric. "Europe's first BYD e6 shows up in the Netherlands". AutoblogGreen. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
  32. ↑ "BYD Delivered Only 33 Units of e6, 417 F3DM in 2010". ChinaAutoWeb. 2011-02-23.
  33. ↑ "BYD delivers 500 battery-electric e6 police cars to Shenzhen Public Security Bureau". GreenCarCongress. Retrieved 2013-01-14. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  34. ↑ "BYD Reports 500 More EVs for Shenzhen". fleetsandfuels.com.
  35. ↑ "56% Reduction Anticipated In Hong Kong Vehicle Emissions Through Electrified Public Transportation". HKM Holding Ltd. 2013-04-02. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  36. ↑ "Asia Briefing: Hong Kong cabbies go electric in effort to cut emissions". Irishtimes. 2013-03-25. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  37. ↑ "BYD charges ahead with Hong Kong e-taxi plans". SCMP-South China Morning Post. 2013-03-22. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  38. ↑ "45 BYD e6 Heading For Hong Kong Taxi Fleet". HYBRIDCars. 2013-03-22. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  39. ↑ "BYD Supplying 46 EV Taxis To Bogota, Colombia". CleanTechnica. 2012-12-14. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  40. ↑ "Bogotá Launches All-electric Taxi Fleet Using Long-Range BYD e6 Cross-over Sedan". YAHOO FINANCE. 2012-12-11. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 "Bogota Taxi Fleet to Get 46 BYD E6 EVs in 2013". autoevolution. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  42. ↑ Mark Kane (2013-09-13). "Thanks to BYD e6, Colombia Now Has the Largest Electric Taxi Fleet in South America". InsideEVs.com. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
  43. ↑ Daniela Garcia (2013-01-21). "MINAE anuncia convenio para insertar taxis "verdes" en el país" [Ministry of Environment and Energy announces agreement to introduce "green" taxis] (in Spanish). Costa Rica Hoy. Retrieved 2013-05-11.
  44. ↑ Cori Motors. "BYD ECO - Ficha técnica" [BYD ECO - Technical Specs Sheet] (PDF) (in Spanish). BYD Auto Costa Rica. Retrieved 2013-05-11.
  45. ↑ "Rotterdam chooses BYD e6 for its new electric taxi fleet". BYD Auto. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  46. ↑ "greentomatocars and BYD to debut 50 pure electric vehicles in 2013". Greentomatocars. Retrieved 2014-05-24. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  47. ↑ Ingram, Antony (2012-10-24). "BYD e6 Electric Crossover Will Be London Taxi, Still MIA In US". Green Car Reports. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 Nick Gibbs (2014-02-17). "Britain's largest electric taxi deal collapses". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
  49. ↑ Henry Foy (2014-02-10). "Buffett-backed BYD behind first all-electric London cab fleet". The Financial Times. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
  50. ↑ Korzeniewski, Jeremy (2009-08-23). "REPORT: BYD pushes American EV launch ahead to 2010". Autoblog Green. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
  51. ↑ Shirouzu, Norihiko (2009-12-10). "Hollywood Beckons China's BYD: Auto Maker Expects to Make Los Angeles Its First US Market for Planned Electric-Car Sales; a Focus on Fleet Customers". The Wall Street Journal, Asia. Archived from the original on 13 December 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  52. ↑ Liza Lin (2010-10-26). "Buffett-Backed BYD Tumbles After Profit Plunges 99%". Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived from the original on 30 October 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-21.
  53. ↑ "BYD Looks to Charge Its US Business". Wall Street Journal. 2010-12-12. Retrieved 2010-12-18.
  54. ↑ Forney, Matthew; Kroeber, Arthur (2009-12-10). "A Look Inside Buffett's Battery Bet". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
  55. ↑ Los Angeles Business Journal (2010-09-06). "Sticker Shock?". Labusinessjournal.com. Archived from the original on 7 December 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  56. ↑ "Feb. 19th, 11 BYD e6s arrived in US". BYD.com. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  57. ↑ Tien Yu-pin and Sofia Wu (2013-10-09). "Electric car from China's BYD to debut in Taiwan early next year". Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 2013-10-20.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to BYD e6.
External media
Images
BYD e6 electric taxis in Shenzhen.
Video
Shenzhen's new Electric Taxis - Driving in a BYD e6 taxi (Youtube)