Start with what the BYD F3DM is: a Sedan with 1.0 L BYD371QA I3 Aluminum Engine, built from 2008 to 2013, in the decade of stability control, dual-clutch gearboxes and the first serious hybrids. What it meant takes a little longer.
The story
The BYD F3DM (Dual-mode) is a plug-in hybrid compact sedan manufactured by BYD with an all-electric range of 60 kilometres (37 mi) and a hybrid electric powertrain that can extend the range an additional 480 kilometres (300 mi). The F3DM is the world's first mass-produced plug-in hybrid automobile and went on sale to government agencies and corporations in China on December 15, 2008. During its first year in the market the F3DM plug-in sold only 48 vehicles. Sales to the general public began in Shenzhen in March 2010, and 417 units were sold during 2010. Cumulative sales in China reached 3,284 units through October 2013, when sales ended, and only 11 units were sold in Europe through October 2012. A testing program was launched in the U.S.
in December 2010 with the participation of the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA). The F3DM was expected to go on sale in the U.S. in 2012 at a price of US$28,800 before any government incentives. In October 2011 BYD announced that retail sales will be delayed due to the lack of charging infrastructure. In April 2012 BYD announced that due to its low sales, the F3DM was to be replaced by the BYD Qin (pronounced “Chin”) plug-in hybrid, which was unveiled at the 2012 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition. Qin deliveries in China began in mid December 2013. As of May 2013, the F3DM was no longer in production, but the remaining stock was sold by October 2013.
What is underneath
The engine is 1.0 L BYD371QA I3 Aluminum Engine. On the scales it comes to 1560 kg. Drive goes through a Electric Automatic. The wheelbase is 2600 mm. These are manufacturer figures carried by Wikipedia and Wikidata, not road-test measurements.
Its place in the line
In the Byd line-up the BYD F3DM has a clear place: it handed the line to the BYD Qin. The cars a buyer would have weighed it against include the Nissan 370Z, the Tesla Roadster, the Volkswagen Tiguan. Nearby in the Byd catalogue sit the BYD 8TT and the BYD Atto 2.