Strata eyes battery storage in 2014 solar projects

Chapel Hill’s Strata Solar wants to try working storage batteries into some of the solar projects it builds next year as part of a contract with Chinese panel manufacturer BYD Co.

Strata, one of North Carolina’s leading solar development and construction companies, has agreed to purchase 160 megawatts worth of solar panels from BYD. That would supply nearly half of the 300 to 400 megawatts worth of projects Strata forecasts for the coming year.

Strata spokesman Blair Schoof says Strata is still discussing how many projects and which ones would include batteries. There is also no decision yet on how much battery storage to include in a given project.

U.S. market

BYD, based Shenzhen Province, is best known in the United States as a producer of electric vehicles and rechargeable batteries.

Strata CEO Markus Wilhelm and a team from Strata toured BYD’s Shenzhen facilities and finalized the agreement there.

“We have been very impressed with BYD’s focus on solar and storage technology,” Wilhelm says in a prepared statement. “BYD’s renewable energy division is highly vertically integrated, which benefits from strong engineering competence, and research and production capabilities in panel manufacturing, racking, inverter technology, and comprehensive storage solutions.”

BYD Chairman Chuanfu Wang says the deal is important for his company as it works to increase its market share in the United States.

N.C. projects

“BYD’s competitive advantage in battery technology gives us a strong strategic position, allowing us to offer a unique total energy solution,” Wang says. “Strata and BYD have been working on a series of interesting models for the utilization of BYD storage solutions in several upcoming Strata projects which we are very excited to be a participating in.”

Strata expects to complete about 200 megawatts worth of solar installation in 2013.

Most of Strata’s projects are in North Carolina. But it is building solar farms in Tennessee and has interests in California as well. It expects to increase its work outside the North Carolina market going forward.

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BYD Qin hybrid in Nine Car Drag Race in China

A great video showing the new BYD Qin hyrbid super car drag racing eight other speedy cars. The BYD Qin is the most powerful mass market hybrid in the world, with a combined output of 303hp and 440nm. But can it beat the petrol-powered competition? They are:

Volkswagen Scirocco 2.0 TSI with 211hp and 280nm.
Subaru BRZ with 200hp and 250nm.
Mini Cooper S with 184hp and 240nm.
Volkswagen Golf GTI with 211hp and 280nm.
Ford Focus ST with 250hp and 345nm.
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VIII with 280hp and 390nm.
Nissan 350Z with 287hp and 371nm.
Volkswagen Passat CC 3.6 V6 with 300hp and 350nm.

The Qin is powered by a hybrid drivetrain consisting of a 1.5 liter turbo four cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor. The 1.5 turbo poops out 154hp and 240nm, the electric motor 149hp and 200nm. Gearbox is a new BYD-developed 6-speed DCT.

The shiny silver Bling BYD Qing stands in the middle of the pack, ready to hybrid them all. Here we go.

Malaysia Testing Electric Buses as Part of Green Future

Malaysia is hoping part of the answer to its dirty air and traffic jams will come in the form of Chinese electric buses.

GreenTech Malaysia

Malaysian Energy and Green Technology Minister Mahdzir Khalid, holding flag, welcomes the start of the electric bus pilot test project.

The bus, built by Chinese automakerBYD Co.002594.SZ 0.00% Ltd., and called the K9 in China, is undergoing testing on how far it can travel on a charge. The goal is to put as many as 2,000 of these green buses on Malaysian roads by 2020, with the first bus traveling in downtown Kuala Lumpur by middle of next year.

“We expect the first batch of locally manufactured [electric] buses to be on the road by mid-2014,” said Hadri Haris, chief executive officer of Malaysian Green Technology Corp., the government agency also known as GreenTech Malaysia that is spearheading the project.

Malaysia has enlisted the local unit of Japanese electronic appliance makerPanasonic Corp.6752.TO +2.59%, among others, to develop outlets for battery charging as the nascent electric vehicle industry grapples with a myriad of challenges, ranging from socket types to charging times. The government’s role is limited to testing the buses. Bus Rapid Transit, which is state operated, will run the buses on high-demand routes to gradually replace the diesel-powered buses currently in operation. Later, private companies will run some of the lines.

The pilot project is part of a push to cut carbon emission by 40% in Malaysia by 2020 and also reduce traffic congestion by boosting use of public transportation. About 2 million people live in Kuala Lumpur, and more than 300,000 people ride a bus every day.

Twenty charging stations are located around Kuala Lumpur. GreenTech Malaysia wants to expand the network nationwide, and is working with First Energy Network Sdn Bhd, a unit of Tan Chong Motor Holdings Bhd,  which mainly assembles Nissan-branded vehicles in Malaysia, Panasonic Malaysia Sdn Bhd, and local research firm DFRAN Research Technologies Sdn Bhd.

Mr. Ahmad says that the initial tests will compare performance between electric buses and the diesel ones to determine whether it makes  economical and environmental sense to turn to battery-powered buses.

“The focus of the study is primarily on energy consumption and environmental impact,” he added.

The buses are expected to travel 250km on a single charge. Their lithium iron-battery could take five hours and forty minutes to be fully charged. BYD-built buses have been deployed in other developed countries, including Belgium, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and the U.S.

“Based on the findings, we are confident that manufacturers and transport operators will be encouraged to adopt environmentally compatible green public transportation systems” that will help meet the national target of 10% electric vehicle use by 2020 from little use currently,  Mr. Ahmad said.

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BYD's electric bus on Big Apple's streets

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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority began testing a new electric bus built by Chinese automaker BYD. The bus will run in New York City for two months. Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit

New York City has started testing an electric bus by Chinese automaker BYD in a move to eventually reduce the 50 million gallons of diesel fuel its 5,700 buses use each year.

The test run is scheduled to last two months and then the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will evaluate if the bus meets the city's needs, according to MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz.

"The test will go a long way in letting us know whether the bus can operate under heavy traffic and other conditions that are specific to New York City," Ortiz said.

The bus will have to face "the twin challenges of operating in the stop and go traffic of Manhattan while maintaining high levels of passenger comfort and operational performance," according to a statement on the MTA website.

The bus needs a four-hour charge to be ready for service, and it can go approximately 150 miles on a single charge, which is being tested under New York City conditions with the pilot run, Ortiz said.

A BYD electric bus costs approximately $850,000, Ortiz said, compared to the $400,000 for a regular diesel bus. Though more expensive, Ortiz said he anticipates the electric bus will be more cost-efficient to run.

"We would certainly see a decrease in maintenance costs, simply due to the fact that we won't need to maintain both engines and transmissions," he said. "This bus essentially has two motors that operate and propel the vehicle, but no engine and no transmission."

"This test continues the MTA's commitment to examine new, cleaner and more efficient bus propulsion technologies that include hybrids, compressed natural gas (CNG), clean diesel and now potentially all electric-battery drive," said Darryl Irick, president of MTA Bus, in a statement on the MTA website.

The bus was manufactured by Shenzhen-based BYD, which stands for "Build Your Dreams" and is backed by investment giant Warren Buffett. Its vehicles are used in Colombia, Poland and Hong Kong. A BYD electric bus started operation in Tel Aviv last month, and fleets of electric taxis were launched in Bogota and Hong Kong, in September and May, respectively.

In April, BYD was awarded a $12.1-million contract with California's Long Beach Transit Authority to produce 10 zero-emission, all-electric buses, and then in July, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) on announced a contract with BYD for the manufacture and delivery of up to 25 all-electric buses. The contract is part of the county's $30-million clean air bus technology pilot project.

Under the contract, Metro will initially purchase five all-electric buses. After testing and evaluation, the transit agency could then choose to buy up to 20 additional buses.

The BYD contract contains a local jobs component in which final assembly will take place at its new plant in Lancaster, California, the international firm's first manufacturing facility in the United States. It plans to build as many as 1,000 plug-in electric buses a year in the Mojave Desert city.

In August, BYD said that its net profit increased 25 times in the first half, as its three core businesses in the vehicle, cell phone and new energy sectors all saw strong growth.

The growth comes after the company reported net profit slumped 94.15 percent year-on-year to 81 million yuan in 2012, the lowest level in at least four years.

In the first half, BYD sold about 250,000 vehicles in China, up 24.72 percent year-on-year, doubling the domestic market's year-on-year growth of 12.3 percent.

The strong performance was the result of the company's efforts to gradually improve the technology, quality and branding of its products in the past three years, the report said.

Even though BYD made its name in the global automotive market with leadership in the electric-vehicle segment, analysts said the company's business will mainly depend on vehicles with traditional internal combustion engines, which contributed more than half of the company's total profits.

BYD Motors President Stella Li has said the company expects to produce 50 buses a year by 2015 and to continue increasing production, with the intention of reaching the plant's capacity of 1,000 buses annually within two decades. The buses will be powered by BYD's iron-phosphate batteries, which will be manufactured at another plant near the Lancaster bus factory.

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王傳福：已研發媲美特斯拉的超跑 百公里加速3.9秒

新浪財經訊  9月10日消息，比亞迪世界級技術解析會今日在深圳舉行，比亞迪集團總裁王傳福介紹發展戰略時透露，已研發出與特斯拉競爭的超級跑車，百公里加速為3.9秒。

王傳福表示，未來比亞迪將實施雙擎雙模車型布局，這其中，包含三款車型：秦、唐以及暫命名為E9的超級跑車。其中，秦將於2013年四季度上市，suv車型唐將於2014年上市，而預計與特斯拉競爭的超級跑車，王傳福並未透露上市時間，僅公布了其百公里加速時間：3.9秒。

在王傳福看來，這意味傳統(機械式、多片離合器式)4驅技術終結者很快就要來臨，這也是王傳福首次公開“雙擎雙模”車型布局戰略意義所在。“雙模技術將在比亞迪90%的車型上運用，今後，百公里加速超過7秒的車都不是車”，王傳福說，秦百公里加速5.9秒；四輪獨立驅動suv-唐，百公里加速4.9秒。

王傳福進一步闡釋說，一輛汽車上油箱有油，但因為電瓶沒電，這車就發動不了，不能開。這是不正常的，就好比家里還有米，但家里的孩子卻餓死了。“都是能源，為什麼不能轉換，比亞迪要做的就是技術集成和能源管理，雙模雙擎的車會大量上市，只要車有電或油就都能開。而且百公里加速要從5.9秒向3.9秒前進。”

當天會議，王傳福以泊車輔助的技術演變，比亞迪在其中的垂直整合、集成創新的努力，解析如何圍繞用戶體驗不遺余力進行創新開發。BYD戰略中的能源進化路線為，自然吸氣、TID、綠混、雙擎雙模最後到純電動。

之前，王傳福信心滿滿的表示──家庭消費一旦起動，比亞迪“分分鐘”可以造出“特斯拉”，曾引發外界極大關注。(曹磊 發自深圳)

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廉玉波：比亚迪造出特斯拉无障碍 不造源于定位不同

廉玉波表示，对于比亚迪来说，造出特斯拉这样的电动汽车，从技术角度来说没有任何障碍。之所以没有造这样的产品，是企业定位不同。　

　【第一电动网】（记者 王慰祖）9月7日，在天津召开的第9届“中国汽车产业发展(泰达)国际论坛”上，深圳比亚迪戴姆勒新技术有限公司(以下简称“比戴”)首席执行官廉玉波接受了第一电动记者采访。廉玉波表示，对于比亚迪来说，造出特斯拉这样的电动汽车，从技术角度来说没有任何障碍。之所以没有造这样的产品，是企业定位不同。

　　第一电动：特斯拉现在势头很猛，你怎样看待他们的电动汽车?

　　廉玉波：对于特斯拉我不方便评价。我上个月也去看过特斯拉，也去开了一下他们的车。特斯拉和比亚迪走的不是一个方向，它走得高端、时尚一点，作为环保人士的第二辆第三辆车，而比亚迪还是走经济、实用、环保、节能的电动汽车路线，比如在深圳运营的大量电动出租。

　　第一电动：比戴即将上市的腾势电动汽车的竞争对手会是特斯拉吗?

　　廉玉波：现在电动汽车车型还只有几款，不存在竞争的问题。我觉得实际上是一种互相的推动的市场的关系，电动车如果只有少数几款产品，这个产业做不大。只有多一点品牌，这个产业才会好起来。所以我觉得现在应该是共同把舞台做大。

　　我认为所有企业都应该迈着大步，多多的往里面投入，这个市场才能做起来，我一直坚持这种想法。

　　第一电动：此前有媒体报道称比亚迪总裁王传福曾说“分分钟造出特斯拉”，您怎么看?

　　廉玉波：我觉得对比亚迪来说，从技术角度没有任何的障碍。特斯拉从电动汽车的角度来看，跟我们没有太大的区别。中间放了个很大的屏幕，看上去好像很不错，但要是按照中国的强化路面实验标准来测试，跑不了多久这个屏会裂掉。好的产品还是需要市场来检验。

　　第一电动：但特斯拉今年销量这么好，按照你的意思，是不是可以说明特斯拉已经做得非常好了?

　　廉玉波：半年销量几千台就说好?现在还不能下这个结论。对比亚迪来说，电动汽车的相关技术，我们已经全部掌握了，从奔驰和我们合资就能看出我们的实力。技术对我们没有任何障碍。

　　第一电动：你认为什么是好的电动汽车产品呢?

　　廉玉波：现在能够取代燃油车的电动汽车就是最好的产品。

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BYD E6 Becomes BYD T6 In Commercial Vehicle Crossover

An image leaked from BYD for a new EV commercial vehicle called the T3 has surfaced in Chinese media reports this week, the new T3 EV-CV uses the E6 passenger car but altered with the addition of an enlarged cargo capacity area in the rear where the trunk and rear seats would normally be.

Previously images of a mid size EV-CV from BYD were leaked, the T5 uses the same technology as the T3 and E6 but it is expected the the T3 will have a greater range. The T3 measures in at LxWxH 5200 x 1822 x 2230mm. BYD haven’t yet revealed the load capacity for this new truck but it is thought to have a 200km range.

The Link

BYD Said to Sell Cars in Phillipines

BYD Company plans to launch products in the Phillipines, bringing cars of different models and taking a position in the market, according to the Phillipines media, hinting the Chinese automaker would sell the E6 electric car in the country.

BYD exports to almost across the globe. Traditional internal combustion engine cars are sold to Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Commonwealth of Independent States; new energy cars are sold to Europe, North America and Asia Pacific.

The Link

Li Lu, Chairman of Himalaya Capital, IV FAME Annual Student Investment Conference, San Francisco, 2012

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Spy Shots: BYD develops electric powered truck in China

The very first spy shorts showing the new BYD T5, a full electric light truck that will do the auto show circuit starting with the Chengdu Auto Show in September. The BYD T5 has a top speed of 50 km/h and a range of 400 km.

BYD has very serious plan to produce a full range of electric powered light trucks with mass production scheduled to start in 2014.

This sort of trucks are commonly used to transport goods from distribution centers at the outskirts of town to customers inside town. The trucks seldom drive more than 200 km a day and rarely faster than fifty, so the T5 sound like a good idea. Biggest obstacle however is price. Light trucks are almost as cheap as televisions in China, and fuel is still very cheap as well.

The T5 thus has to be cheap enough to convince transport companies they can earn back the extra investment very fast, and making the T5 that cheap without government subsidies seems almost impossible.

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Aruba Partners with BYD in Zero-Emissions Initiative, Energy Independence by 2020

Today, Aruba's Prime Minister Mike G. Eman, Minister of Finance, Mike de Meza, and Mr. Frank Hoevertsz, the Managing-Director of Utilities Aruba N.V. signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with BYD Company Limited, BYD America's President, Ms. Stella Li. The MOU outlines Aruba's plans to be the first Nation with a completely zero-carbon footprint and energy independence (with only clean sustainable renewable power sources). The four major objectives in the MOU included electrifying all public transportation (with zero- emissions vehicles), substantially increasing renewable energy generation (both solar and wind), making those resource dispatchable upon demand with distributed, environmentally-friendly, energy storage and lastly a nation-wide plan for public re-education and sustainability programs in all schools. Through each of these, Aruba plans to use BYD green-technologies to pursue its goal of becoming an emissions-free Nation by the year 2020.

Prime Minister Eman welcomed Stella Li to beautiful Aruba and led the ceremony by stating, "We are excited about the MOU we are signing. This document signifies both parties interests and commitment to work together to introduce electric vehicles and green products in Aruba. In our transition phase towards 100% sustainability, BYD will support Aruba demonstrating how to convert all our vehicles, including cars, buses, taxis and all private and public vehicles into electrified transportation." The first and most important of all these initiatives is the electrification of public transportation. Aruba plans to place into service four BYD zero-emission, long-range all-electric buses and one BYD e6 electric taxi comprising a fleet for public/government use by September-end 2013. Energy generation and storage are the next areas of development that Aruba has committed to pursuing. The nation has plans to double their wind farms and make these farms self-sustaining and dispatchable using BYD's Iron-Phosphate grid-scale storage technologies. Leveraging these same battery Energy Storage Stations, they will also deploy new, large-scale stand-alone BYD Solar generation projects throughout the island. Ms. Li remarked that, "BYD Company was completely impressed by the vision of the government leaders of Aruba and fully supported Aruba becoming the first completely sustainable Nation in the World."

The third objective in Aruba's plan uses BYD LED technology to reduce electricity consumption and build up vital communities through education and infrastructural improvements. Aruba will convert much of their public lighting to high-efficiency BYD LED Street and Indoor Lighting Solutions. Further, there are plans to electrify all of its schools using rooftop solar installations and build education programs around sustainability programs. The nation intends to use BYD solar generation, external and internal LED lighting systems, and electric vehicles to develop its "smart community" project in Kibaima. The Kibaima project, conceived in 2012, has operated as an exemplar and "laboratory" for sustainability ventures throughout the nation. Minister de Meza elaborated on the prime minister's comments by stating that, "Aruba is honored to work together with BYD. In the light of BYD's broad portfolio of green technologies, especially in renewable energy and storage, Aruba is very happy to partner with you. We have a vision and a plan to have 100% sustainable energy by 2020. There are only seven years left." Minister de Meza also explained to Mrs. Li that, "Aruba is already working with renowned institutions like the Carbon War Room, TNO, among others. But with today's MOU, BYD has become part of the Aruba green family."

Ms. Li told the prime ministers Eman and de Meza that "they both have amazing visions for their country and BYD has the technology to help them realize their dreams -- we are one of the largest solar panel providers in the world with ample experience and we are the largest environmentally-friendly, energy storage provider in the world!" In reaching each of these goals, Aruba aims to lead the world in carbon footprint reductions and be a catalyst and example to the other Caribbean and Latin American Nations. For more information, visit BYD at www.facebook.com/bydcompany and www.byd.com.

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王传福：比亚迪“分分钟”可造出特斯拉

6月7日，比亚迪于深圳坪山总部召开股东大会，现场出席股东超过百人，加之关注股东会的媒体记者众多，一百多平方米的会场被挤得满满当当。比亚迪董事局主席兼总裁王传福在股东会上表示，经过三年的调整，比亚迪2013年迎来转机，他将今年视作公司“二次腾飞元年”，称公司今年在IT、汽车业务方面已有了良好的开局，其中，电动出租车公司——鹏程电动已经实现了盈利。王传福还信心满满的表示——家庭消费一旦起动，比亚迪“分分钟”可以造出“特斯拉”。

    王传福主要从IT、汽车和太阳能等业务方面介绍了公司今年的发展情况，并对未来一段时期的发展进行了展望。

    IT业务方面，此前由于苹果IPHONE横空出世，诺基亚手机特别是智能手机市场份额势微，比亚迪作为诺基亚的代工商遭受不小冲击。不过，随着后苹果时代的到来，三星、HTC等手机厂商开始被消费者追捧，作为少数在技术、品管、产能上能与富士康抗衡的企业，比亚迪已成为三星和HTC的重要供应商。“产业链调整给了规模代工企业新的机会，这一次我们抓住了。”王传福说，“目前，包括HTC、三星，还有老客户华为和诺基亚都找比亚迪代工。”

    以HTC one为例，比亚迪主要承接两块业务：一个是结构件生产，一个是整机代工。其中，部分结构件技术让王传福引以为傲。他表示，“以前的手机壳是塑胶的，未来随着产品高档化，金属外壳将成趋势。但为了保持各种天线信号不受影响，金属外壳必须留出缝隙。目前公司就掌握了这样的技术，即塑胶与金属的混融技术(PMH)，能够做到金融与塑胶纳米级融合。HTC one、诺基亚的LUMIA925都采用这种技术。”

    此外，比亚迪在平板电脑代工方面也取得较大突破，而且该项业务已成为公司新的利润增长点。“此前笔记本电脑基本被台资企业垄断，索尼等笔记本电脑，公司只接到很少一部分代工业务，规模不大。但现在公司开始和不少大客户合作，比如和惠普合作，有些项目已经出货了。”王传福说，比亚迪在平板电脑代工方面具备两大优势：一是电池，二是触摸屏。未来公司还会不断拓展客户数量和规模。

    而在汽车业务方面，王传福对传统汽车保持同比增长信心很大。他预计，今年汽车行业整体销量将增长8%，比亚迪自身的销量增长将在10%-30%。据他介绍，当前速锐月销量仍然保持9000台以上。思锐和M6则处于爬坡阶段。

    新能源汽车方面，虽然地方政府阻力仍存，但是公司鼓励性销售政策推出后，效果相当明显。当然，最有说服力的是，作为全球首个纯电动汽车出租车公司——鹏程电动开始盈利了。据了解，一季度盈利达500多万元，全年盈利预计在2000万元以上。对于市场普遍关注的“特斯拉”热潮，王传福认为特斯拉在推广纯电动汽车和培育消费者习惯方面起到了极好的作用。他表示，公司的纯电动车的发展模式和特斯拉不同，目前的定位是出租车和公交车。“对公司来说，纯电动汽车技术不是问题，市场才是问题。要扩张新产能，投资4-5年时间就够了。”王传福说，“如果家庭消费一旦起动，比亚迪 分分钟 就可以造出 特斯拉 。”

    此外，王传福还透露，公司太阳能业务目前亏损正在收窄，下半年有望扭亏。

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China Wants To Be Home To World's Next Tesla

China’s government will shift its financial support of the electronic vehicle niche market and pump more resources into research and development, the Minister of Science and Technology said on Friday.

Beijing is getting savvy about the global auto market, a market it now dominates in terms of number of cars sold. It now wants to be a market leader in lithium battery production and innovation. It also wants to see one of its myriad car companies become the next Tesla, or at the very least, follow in the footsteps of the Korean automakers Hyundai and KIA.

The government has been a staunch supporter of electric vehicles, providing production subsidies, land and low interest loans to auto makers like BYD , an EV maker that even Warren Buffet invests in. (Or did).

The government wants to increase the number of EVs on the road in China over the next five years, said Wan Gang, minister of science and technology, adding that government subsidies are only “short-term solutions”.  It is likely that the pure EVs driving up and down the city streets of Shanghai will be made in China, and probably BYDs.  China Daily reported Wan saying that the industry can only be sustained and expanded by raising their technology levels and lowering costs so consumers can actually afford the cars in the first place.

Wan said direct government incentives for consumers are likely to be phased out by 2020, providing operational expenses can be lowered and the market for EVs can be expanded.  Beijing currently rebates of up to 60,000 yuan (or $9,790) towards the purchase price of battery-powered cars.

“The government is unwaveringly committed to the industry, but EV makers should never count on subsidies to survive,” Wan said on the sidelines of the 2013 International Forum on Electric Vehicle Pilot Cities and Industrial Development in Shanghai on Thursday and Friday. “It is imperative (for companies) to enhance their core competence with research and innovation.”

China still running ahead of the United States in terms of cars sold.

Over the last six months, EV cars have made news when Tesla sales surpassed that of the country’s first EV, the Chevrolet Volt.  Although not a pure EV like the Tesla models and Nissan Leaf, it is powered moreso by battery and electric engine technology than are the popular hybrids like the Toyota Prius, which have a larger gasoline engine than the Volt.  When Tesla sales beat the Volt recently, share prices skyrocketed.  But over the last six months, Tesla shares have tracked BYD, China’s biggest EV maker.

In fact, BYD (HKG: 0285) is up 168% since December 3 and Tesla is up 189%.   Year-to-date ending May 31 has BYD also trading like Tesla, up 143% while Tesla is beating it, up 188%.

The Link

China’s BYD Enters Australian Home Energy Storage Market

BYD, a Chinese electric car manufacturer backed by Warren Buffett, has decided to enter the energy storage market in Australia, saying there is large potential for the technology in Australian homes.

Cargo Container Sized Storage System

BYD has signed a distribution agreement with Australian company Fe Batteries for its home energy storage system called the DESS, as well as for its solar PV, LED lighting and solar street lamp products.

The energy storage market is being described as the “next big thing” in Australia, with installers and solar companies across the country reporting massive increase in inquiries.

BYD said the recent decrease of the various feed in tariffs  across Australia, and continuing rises in electricity prices meant Australian householders installing Solar PV on their homes or business were looking to use storage systems.

This enabled them to store the solar energy generated from their roof for later re-use rather than purchasing electricity from the grid or to export their excess energy to their local grid and benefit from their local FIT.

The DESS system – which comes in a 3kW/8kWh single-phase system and 9kW/8kWh three-phase system – allows existing or newly installed solar PV systems with battery storage seamlessly through a inverter and battery storage module to their local grid. There is also an off-grid home energy system.

Ian Goldfinch, business director of Fe Batteries, said Australians had access to abundant sunshine, are environmentally aware, and interested in practical ways to save money on their electricity bills.

“What has been needed is technology to support home and business energy storage systems,” he said.

BYD manufactures electric vehicles and electric buses in China and is ranked as the fastest growing Chinese automotive and green energy technology company..

Buffett bought 10 per cent of BYD in 2009 for $230 million, and appears to have at least trebled the value of his investment. It remains the company’s second largest shareholder.

The Link

BYD News

BYD gets EU license to sell electric buses

BYD Co Ltd, a Chinese maker of electric cars and batteries, said that it has received permission from theEuropean Union to sell electric buses in all of bloc's member countries, car information websiteauto.gasgoo.com reported.

The EU granted Whole Vehicle Type-Approval to BYD, which means that the Chineseautomaker is allowed to sell electric buses in all of its member countries, without the need togain individual approvals from every member country.

On Dec 11, BYD signed an agreement with Bulgaria's Bulmineral to establish an electric busjoint venture — Auto Group Motors — with each company holding a 50 percent stake in the JV.This is the first electric bus joint venture in Europe and is also the first one established by BYDin the overseas market.

BYD to supply 110MW of solar modules to South Africa

BYD Company Limited, a manufacturer of automobiles and rechargeable batteries, has announced that it will supply 110MW of solar modules-a total of around 458,000 solar modules to South Africa for the two projects.

By contributing 75MW to solar station in South Africa and also a project of BYD, BYD has supplied continually solar modules to Africa since November 2012. The total 110MW solar projects are under the South Africa's first Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Program (REIPPP). BYD also will continue to support the project developers development South Africa phase II and phase III projects.

Tom Zhao, general manager of BYD's PV Department, stated: "South Africa is heading down the road of becoming one of the leading countries in the solar energy realm, and we're glad to have joined this journey. Our latest important project with partner is the REIPP (Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Program) in South Africa, and that project will help satisfy the demand for energy safety there. The large-scale solar energy PV power plant is the key to achieve economies of scale and lower the costs of mass solar energy power."

According to BYD, it will further increase its efforts to open up emerging markets including Africa and get more cooperation with the project developer and the local government.

BYD Agrees to Build 500-Megawatt Solar Farm in Shaanxi Province

BYD Co. (1211), the Chinese carmaker partly owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., agreed with the government of Yulin to develop a 500-megawatt solar power plant in the city in China’s northwestern province of Shaanxi.

The project will be completed in three phases, the company said today in an e-mailed statement. The first phase of 200 megawatts is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2013. The investment amount wasn’t disclosed.

The plan is the latest by the Shenzhen-based company to expand its renewable energy business. BYD said it supplied 110 megawatts of solar modules to South Africa last month.

BYD向深圳交付500台e6电动警务车

12月27日，“深圳市公安局新能源警用车辆启动仪”在市公安局大楼广场举行。凭借300台e6在深圳出租车市场2年多、累计超过3000万公里的稳定营运和安全可靠的综合表现，比亚迪成功中标深圳电动警务用车采购大单，向深圳市公安局交付500台e6纯电动警务用车。深圳市委常委、公安局局长李铭出席启动仪式，并为市交警支队交付首批e6纯电动警务用车钥匙。市公安局、发改委、财政委、采购中心、比亚迪汽车等相关单位出席，共同见证新能源汽车在深圳公务员系统率先普及。据悉，除警务用车，深圳市还计划在出租市场追加投放500台e6纯电动出租车、超过500台K9纯电动大巴，深圳已成为全球新能源车推广力度最大的城市之一。

市领导交付e6钥匙

深圳公务员带头使用比亚迪电动车

为贯彻《深圳市节能与新能源汽车示范推广实施方案》，深圳市公务员带头使用新能源汽车，为推进节约型机关建设起良好的示范作用。500辆纯电动警务用车的率先投放深圳公安系统，极大地促进了深圳新能源汽车的推广，加快深圳产业结构转型升级，是功在当代、利在千秋的惠民工程。比亚迪e6纯电动警务用车拥有零污染、零排放、低使用成本的特点，不仅仅节约能源，更可以有效减少城市二氧化碳排放和污染，改善城市环境，使深圳的空气更清新、更干净。比亚迪e6纯电动警务用车最高车速可以达到140KM/H，综合工况续航里程可以达到300公里，完全满足警务用车日常巡逻、行政执法等需求。深圳市公安局率先采用e6纯电动警务用车，是全国公安系统首次大规模普及电动警车，不仅仅在全国范围内起到利于新能源汽车推广的示范作用，更彰显了作为改革开放桥头堡和排头兵的深圳精神。

除了警务用车，深圳市在公交系统也大量引入新能源车，全力推进新能源车发展。目前深圳已有300台e6纯电动出租车投入市场，总运营里程已超过3000万公里，单车最长行驶里程超过25万公里，相当于普通私家车超过10年的行驶里程，年内还将追加投放500台。同样在深圳，200台K9纯电动大巴总运营里程超过1000万公里，并有超过500台新车将陆续投放市场。深圳在新能源车推广方面已走在全国前列，开创了公交电动化的“深圳模式”。

启动仪式现场

比亚迪新能源汽车推广取得重大进展

伴随着500辆纯电动警务用车在深圳的大规模投放，比亚迪新能源汽车在公共交通、私人用车以及公务用车市场都已推广并取得重大进展。在公共交通领域，比亚迪针对出租车及公交大巴市场推出“零元购车、零成本、零排放”解决方案，真正解决了出租车公司及公交公司一次性购买电动车的资金压力，真正实现使用者的“零风险”。在私人用车领域，比亚迪推出了e6先行者和F3DM双模电动车，率先在深圳面向个人销售，明年还将推出搭载全新DMⅡ代技术的双模电动车——秦，进一步加快私人用车市场的普及。在公务用车领域，比亚迪e6成功入选“中央国家机关新能源电动公务用车示范项目”，12辆e6先行者将服务于中央机关各部委，而本次500辆e6纯电动警务用车的投放，将具有历史性的意义，标志着比亚迪新能源汽车推广再次取得重大进展。

此外，比亚迪率先推出的“深圳模式”在多地成功复制，在西安、宝鸡、韶关、荷兰、新加坡、美国、丹麦、德国、英国伦敦等地成功实现电动车的规模化和商业化。并在天津、云南、武汉与当地企业合作，生产和推广公交电动化，加速电动车的普及。 在全球新能源汽车推广上，以比亚迪汽车为代表的中国力量正在领跑世界。