Alternate subject line: "Volt gets shocked" [referring to all the hoopla about the Chevy Volt which is ~two years away]
If you are on the calcars list, you may have seen the article (and the dead link) which proclaims that a plug-in hybrid compact sedan from China is slated for full production in 2009 but with some cars rolling off this year. Here is a link which was working: http://www.huliq.com/3169/70554/byd-launch-all-electric-car-h2-2009 The F3DM was introduced at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show by a company called BYD. The company is currently the world's largest producer of cellphone batteries. BYD says the car will have a 60 mile all-electric range with an auxiliary engine to allow operation in the hybrid mode. Warren Buffett who has his fingers in everything these days it seems, announced he is putting up $230 million for a 10 percent stake in BYD. At current prices he probably could have bought GM for that kind of cash <g>. There are indications that GM is already trying to keep it out of the US market until the Volt arrives, but they may be too late for the buffet, so to speak, as the first in line gets all-you-can-eat .... Jones
