China goes big in green car race
People look at an electric car at the BYD Auto company factory in Shenzhen, China. (Laurent Fievet/AFP/Getty Images)
Marketplace.org -- September 1, 2009 - Scott Tong reports: "China is getting serious in the clean-energy car race with big investments in low-emissions vehicles."
Kai Ryssdal: "Despite its lackluster August sales report that came out this morning, General Motors has at least one thing going for it: name recognition. It's one of a handful of carmakers that are recognizable just by its initials -- GM. VW is another one. What about BYD? Not ringing any bells for you?
It's a Chinese company. One that's already got an electric hybrid on the market there. And BYD has plans to have its cars on American roads next year. Just one more sign that China is very serious about green technology...."
Read or Listen to the full report.
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Ken O. says:
Their car looks like a Benz copy.
VWs are used as taxis in China. Buicks are huge. Japanese brands...not so favored. Probably for historical reasons. And of course everyone loves a glorious bimmer or benz.