Along with the E6 fully-electric crossover, China’s BYD Auto (which stands for Build Your Dreams) also showcased the F3DM plug-in hybrid sedan at its Detroit Show stand. This is not the first time we’ve seen the F3DM in the U.S. as the Chinese automaker displayed the car at last year’s NAIAS.
Looking a lot like a previous generation Toyota Corolla, the 4,533mm (178.4 inches) long FD3M makes use of a small 1.0-liter gasoline engine and an electric motor for a combined output of 168hp (125kw).
Even though some sites have reported now and in the past that the F3DM’s hybrid drivetrain works in the same that the Chevy Volt’s does, meaning that the gasoline engine doesn’t drive the wheels but charges the battery, BYD Auto’s press release clearly points towards a system similar to the one found in the Prius.
“When the vehicle needs more power to accelerate, a gasoline engine and an electric motor drive the wheels together to provide greater output and torque,” BYD Auto states in the F3DM’s press release.
BYD claims that the plug-in hybrid sedan can drive up to 100km or 62 miles on electricity and 580km or 360 miles on a single battery charge and a full tank of gasoline.
The Chinese maker says that the F3DM’s battery pack can be charged to 50% power via quick charge in 10 minutes, and 100% power via household charge in seven hours.
The vehicle also features a solar panel sunroof, which can be used to channel power to the battery pack.
According to BYD, the F3DM can sprint from standstill to 100km/h (62mph) in 10.5 seconds and go on to reach a top speed of 150 km/h or 93mph.
The plug-in hybrid sedan recently went on sale in China for the U.S. equivalent of around $22,000. The company said that it plans to sell the F3DM in the States by 2011.
