VW Exploring Partnership with China's BYD Auto on Hybrids and EVs
The Volkswagen Group has signed a memorandum of understanding with China's "Build Your Dreams" or as Toyota's people may put it, "Copy Your Dreams", BYD Auto to explore the options for partnership in the area of hybrids and electric vehicles powered by lithium ion batteries. The agreement between the two automakers was signed during an informational visit to VW's German headquarters. BYD Auto's delegation that was led by the company's chairman, Wang Chuanfu, consisted of several top managers. 
"Volkswagen will consistently expand its successful 'BlueMotionTechnologies'. Hybrids and electric vehicles will play an increasingly important role, of course. Particularly for the Chinese market, potential partners such as BYD could support us in quickly expanding our activities," emphasised Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board for Technical Development at Volkswagen.
During their visit that took place first at the Elektrotraktion Technology Centre in Isenbuttel and then at the German automaker's test tracks in Wolfsburg, BYD Auto's delegation had technical discussions with VW's people while they also had the chance to test drive a variety of vehicles such as the Golf twinDrive and the prototype for an electric vehicle.
BYD Auto has made headlines for launching the world's first mass produced plug-in hybrid, the F3DM, but also for cloning the designs of vehicles such as the Toyota Aygo (F0) and the Lexus RX (S6).
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