The car, called the F3DM, was launched at least a year ahead of a similar car planned by Toyota. But the gasoline engine in the BYD rattled and could be noisy when it kicked in, the reviewers said. The steering wheel also tends to get stiff when making turns because of the car's increased weight from the batteries.
BYD has said it is aware of these issues and is working resolve them. "From what we have seen so far, [Chinese electric vehicle] technology is not that advanced" in terms of things like battery life, driving range and recharging, said Nick Reilly, head of GM Asia-Pacific operations, on Monday. "However, they have pretty good cost, and we know the Chinese government and these Chinese companies are investing a lot of money in battery technology, so I think it would be foolish of us to ignore them and believe that we are that far ahead." Some regulatory and market characteristics make China one of the most promising markets to experiment with electric cars. The government's regulations and policies for things like building electric-car charging stations can be changed more easily here than in places like the U.S. Most Chinese buyers also are purchasing cars for the first time and have not developed particular preferences. Still, "the challenge here is consumers are extremely value-oriented," said Raymond Bierzynski, head of GM Asia-Pacific engineering operations. "They're very much interested in the payback, so we have to be [make sure] value is there."
One key move GM is counting on to make the Volt more affordable in China is government incentives, whether they are cash incentives for customers or subsidies for fleet purchases by government agencies. Another notable battery car, though its producer decided to skip the Shanghai show, is a super-low-cost, two-seat mini electric car that Chinese parts producer Wonder Auto Technology Inc. and Korean golf cart maker CT&T Co. are expected to begin producing jointly this summer. Though equipped with decidedly low-tech lead-acid batteries and having a top speed of only 60-to-65 kilometers an hour, the car can go 100 kilometers when fully charged, according to the two companies. The car's biggest appeal is its rock-bottom price of less than 40,000 yuan. Wonder Auto's chairman and CEO, Qingjie Zhao, believes the Chinese-Korean joint venture in Jinzhou (Liaoning province) could boost sales of the car to 50,000 vehicles a year within three years.
"A plug-in hybrid selling for 150,000 yuan is a pipe dream for farmers. It would take five to 10 years before they become truly affordable for everyday folk," Mr. Zhao said. "But low-cost commuter EVs like ours is already a reality, within the reach of thrifty farmers." —Ellen Zhu contributed to this article. Write to Norihiko Shirouzu at norihiko.shirouzu@wsj.com