Latest Cars Reviews Blog: Detroit 2009: BYD F3DM is the poor man's plug-in Toyota Corolla

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Economy, Sedans/Saloons, China

Click above for high-res gallery of the BYD F3DM

With the departure of a number of automakers from this year's North American International Auto Show, the Chinese found themselves in an unfamiliar location: smack in the middle of the Detroit Auto Show. 2009 is the first time that China's automakers have been able to find space to rent on the main show floor -- in years past, they were confined to Michigan Hall, nicknamed "The Basement" by journalists. Taking full advantage of the larger forum, BYD unveiled what it is billing as the world's first production plug-in hybrid, the F3DM Dual Mode. Thankfully, BYD thoughtfully left their cars uncovered earlier in the show, and we were able to get the shots you see here without wading through the crowds.

Powered by a 1.0-liter gasoline engine and an electric motor, BYD says their Toyota Corolla lookalike boasts 168-horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. So equipped, the car can reach 60 miles-per-hour in 10.5 seconds, although it tops out at just 93 mph. More importantly, officials claim that the F3DM will run purely on battery power for 62 miles(!). BYD says the car's Fe battery packs reach a 50% charge in just ten minutes, and a full charge can be obtained in just seven hours from a standard power outlet. Oddly, the very same press release notes that the Fe battery in the company's E6 crossover can be fully recharged in 60 minutes.

We look forward to getting hold of one of these vehicles to verify some of these remarkable claims, but in the meantime we'll have to amuse ourselves with the notion that BYD calls this car a "dual mode hybrid" because it can run on electricity alone or on a combination of battery power and internal combustion. Hmmm...

Gallery: Detroit 2009: BYF F3DM