The Mercedes-Benz Group AG is a German multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufacturers. Daimler-Benz was formed with the merger of Benz & Cie., the world's oldest car company, and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft in 1926. The company was renamed DaimlerChrysler upon the acquisition of American automobile manufacturer Chrysler Corporation in 1998, and was again renamed Daimler AG upon divestment of Chrysler in 2007. In 2021, Daimler AG was the second-largest German automaker and the sixth-largest worldwide by production. In February 2022, Daimler was renamed Mercedes-Benz Group as part of a transaction that spun-off its commercial vehicle segment as an independent company, Daimler Truck.
BYD Auto Co., Ltd. is the automotive subsidiary of BYD Company, a publicly listed Chinese multinational manufacturing company. It manufactures passenger battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), collectively known as new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China. It also produces battery electric buses and trucks.
The automotive industry in China has been the largest in the world measured by automobile unit production since 2008. Since 2009, annual production of automobiles in China accounted for more than 32% of worldwide vehicle production, exceeding both that of the European Union and that of the United States and Japan combined.
The history of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) spans a little more than a century, but most of the significant commercial developments have taken place after 2002. The revival of interest in this automotive technology together with all-electric cars is due to advances in battery and power management technologies, and concerns about increasingly volatile oil prices and supply disruption, and also the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Between 2003 and 2010 most PHEVs on the roads were conversions of production hybrid electric vehicles, and the most prominent PHEVs were aftermarket conversions of 2004 or later Toyota Prius, which have had plug-in charging and more lead-acid batteries added and their electric-only range extended.
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.
The BYD e6 is a battery electric vehicle manufactured by BYD Auto from 2009. Field testing for the first generation model began in China in May 2010 with 40 units operating as taxis in the city of Shenzhen. Sales to the general public began in Shenzhen in October 2011, over two years behind schedule of the originally planned release date of 2009.
The electric vehicle industry in China is the largest in the world, accounting for around 57.4% of global production of electric vehicles (EVs) and around 500,000 exports in 2021. In 2021, CAAM reported China had sold 3.34 million passenger electric vehicles, consisting 2.73 million BEVs and 0.6 million PHEV, which is around 53% share of the global market of 6.23 million "new energy" passenger vehicles – BEVs, PHEVs, and HEVs. China also dominates the plug-in electric bus and light commercial vehicle market, reaching over 500,000 buses and 247,500 electric commercial vehicles in 2019, and recording new sales of 186,000 commercial EVs in 2021.
Shenzhen BYD New Energy Co., Ltd., trading as Denza, is an automobile manufacturing company headquartered in Shenzhen, China, specialising in luxury electric cars and an equally owned joint venture between BYD and the Mercedes-Benz Group. Founded in May 2010, in late 2014 the company produced a single model with an all-electric range of up to 300 km (190 mi). The car was initially put on sale in selected Chinese cities only. In December 2021 it was announced the Daimler will reduce its share to 10% and BYD will hold 90%.
In China, the term new energy vehicle (NEV) is used to designate automobiles that are fully or predominantly powered by electric energy, which include plug-in electric vehicles — battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) — and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV). The Chinese Government began implementation of its NEV program in 2009 to foster the development and introduction of new energy vehicles, and electric car buyers are eligible for public subsidies.
The BYD Qin is a compact sedan produced by BYD Auto since 2012. The Qin started out as the plug-in hybrid version of the BYD Surui, and was introduced in the Chinese market in August 2012. Currently, the Qin is available as battery electric vehicle, as a plug-in hybrid and previously as an internal combustion engine vehicle.
The BYD Tang is a crossover SUV manufactured by BYD Auto, available as an battery electric, a plug-in hybrid or formerly a conventional ICE vehicle. The vehicle is the second model of BYD's "Dynasty" series passenger vehicles after the Qin, and gets its name from the Tang dynasty, the most prosperous of all the great Chinese dynasties.
The BYD e5 is a compact all-electric car manufactured by BYD, based on the gasoline-powered BYD Surui sedan, an internal combustion engine (ICE) car that had been introduced in 2012.
The BYD Song is a series of compact crossover SUVs produced by BYD Auto since 2015 as the successor to the BYD S3.
The BYD Yuan is a subcompact crossover SUV produced by Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD Auto, slotting below the BYD Song compact crossover. It is part of BYD's "Dynasty Series" of production vehicles, and is named after the Yuan dynasty.
The Denza N8 and the original Denza X is a mid-size crossover SUV. The original Denza X was first launched in Guangzhou Auto Show 2019 by Denza, originally a joint venture between Chinese automaker BYD Auto and German luxury car brand Mercedes-Benz.
The Wuling Hongguang Mini EV is a battery electric city car manufactured by SAIC-GM-Wuling since 2020. Retail deliveries began in China in July 2020. As of February 2023, global sales since inception have passed 1,100,000 units, and the Mini EV has become the best-selling electric car in China.
The BYD Dolphin is a battery electric hatchback produced by the Chinese manufacturer BYD Auto since 2021. A subcompact hatchback in its home country, the Dolphin is positioned above the Seagull in the Chinese market and part of BYD's 'Ocean Series'.
The BYD Seal is a battery electric mid-size fastback sedan produced by BYD Auto. It is the second passenger car of BYD's latest "Ocean Series" of plug-in electric vehicles, after the smaller hatchback BYD Dolphin.
The Denza N7 is a mid-size crossover SUV produced by Denza, a joint venture between Chinese manufacturer BYD Auto and Mercedes-Benz AG. The N7 was officially launched in the Chinese market in July 2023.
