Kulongoski lobbies to bring China's new hybrid car to Oregon

[depakid]

Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski test drives a new electric hybrid sedan Friday at the BYD Car Co. factory in Shenzhen, China. The F3DM, which runs up to 80 miles on a single battery charge before switching to gas, is expected to arrive in the U.S. by 2010, and Kulongoski is lobbying for Oregon to be part of the launch.
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SHENZHEN, China -- In this far corner of China's manufacturing heartland, Gov. Ted Kulongoski's dream of making Oregon home to America's green car movement is about to roll off the assembly lines.

At BYD Auto Co., China's fast-growing automotive star, a plug-in electric hybrid sedan is just weeks from meeting millions of Chinese consumers. The F3DM, which runs up to 80 miles on a single charge and packs a 7-gallon tank, will probably launch in the United States by 2010.

Kulongoski, who clinched a deal last week to bring Nissan's pure-electric cars to Oregon, is vying for BYD's bid for a North American pilot site. On Friday, he met with BYD President and Chairman Wang Chuanfu at the company's mammoth headquarters nearly two hours from China's booming industrial zone.

"We're hoping to build a critical mass," Kulongoski said. "We're laying the infrastructure and hoping to bring change at home by reducing greenhouse gases. The most logical place to move toward is electric autos."

On a 10-day business trip in Asia, Kulongoski has trumpeted Oregon's status as the No. 1 hybrid market in the country and promoted an ambitious vision to automakers in Japan and China: electric charging stations every 60 miles along interstates. Tax incentives for Oregonians to buy electric cars. And tax bonuses for drivers to build car chargers in their garages.

If Oregon is successful in claiming a stake in the world's emerging electric car industry, ripples across many other sectors could provide a boost to the state's economy, hurt by the departure of Freightliner and other manufacturers.

Patrick Reiten, president of Pacific Power, said there will be growth -- and challenges -- in meeting the power supply needs that come with electric cars. Pacific Power is owned by Warren Buffett's MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, which in September bought a 10 percent stake in BYD for about $230 million -- a relationship Kulongoski hopes will help nudge BYD to Oregon.

More: http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2008/11/kulongoski_lobbies_to_bring_ch.html

[hlthe2b]

1. Damn... and we all wat with baited breath for the 40 mile Volt?

Look, I want US car makers to survive and thrive, but WTF? Talk about the US in decline...

[Trajan]

2. Yay Governor ....

This dude ROCKS !

Along with other 'green' industries, like Vestas and Solarworld, it seems Oregon continues to lead the way to the production of the next generation of transport modes and the clean generation to power them ....

Now .. If they could just get rid of these clouds ....

(J/K ... I love the rain ... )

[madrchsod]

3. there`s no reason to save our auto industry

the chinese government will make sure these cars are always cheaper than anything made in the usa or japan. they destroyed our steel industry and they will force our auto industry into bankruptcy.

ya tax breaks for foreign cars....