2011 NAIAS: BYD e6 Electric

The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) is these days previewing an interesting world of the not so distant future. After for the past two years China ate up as many of the western cars it could, it is now turn for the US to get ready for Chinese-made vehicles.

The Chinese from BYD are among the first to step into unexplored territory, presenting their e6 electric car at the aforementioned event. The stage is set, the market ready, and the dreams of the Chinese can begin.

Truth be told, their dreams have some substance to them. The E6 is no noobie, coming from one of China's biggest manufacturers. It is also not a car assembled in a hurry, by underpaid workers. And, above all, it can go head to head with the highly regarded Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf.

The e6 promises a range of 200 miles (321 km), much more than the Japanese car and more fuel efficient than the American one. Power for the vehicle comes from a 60-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack which can be recharged in six hours, a time which is lower than the industry average.

So, what do the Chinese know and the rest of the world doesn't? It's not clear yet, but if the car is capable of the things BYD says it is, than the E6 should become a force to be reckoned with, provided it manages to pass the stringent US safety laws.

The car will arrive in the US, if everything goes according to plan, in 2012, at an estimated price of around $35,000. A little bit more expensive than the Leaf, but cheaper than the Volt.