First EV to market fails to set world on fire

In a predictable market reaction to a new and expensive technology, Chinese manufacturer BYD has not seen buyers queuing around the block for the world's first commercially available EV.

The company has sold all of 80 units of its F3DM in the first four months on the market, 20 of them to a single buyer, the Shenzhen government.

The F3DM puts power to the road with a lithium ion-phospate battery, with a 1.0 litre petrol engine kicking in to help power the car and simultaneously recharge the batteries when it's needed.

Industry observers put the slow sales down to several factors. Firstly, its comparatively high price -- around $32,000. Then comes evidence of early consumer anxieties about the reliability and range of its battery pack, not helped by a shortage of public charging stations.

It's a classic slow start for the quick-to-market. The sales shortfall isn't helped by BYD's restriction of availability to fleet buyers only. This seemed like a sensible idea -- few consumers could countenance the price, but there are plenty fleet prospects among Chinese government agences and state enterprises.

The company has said it will likely reduce the price by as much as $8000 once it achieves the economies of scale that come with bigger build numbers.

CEO Wan Chuanfu has told media that it may take a concerted marketing effort and independent testing, to overcome negative perceptions of battery performance. Which might not be that hard -- BYD is the world's largest battery maker.