China's 1st hybrid-power sedan rolls off production line

The Chinese are a very capable people. I wouldn't underestimate them.

It looks like they've already kicked GM's butt, like that's hard to do...

Harry

 

Looks almost like a Prius wagon. It even has the little triangular windows up front.

Chinese have been around a long time and have invented many things. Their business acumen is second to none. Underestimate them at your own risk.

 

Does it fold up into a tight death cocoon when other solid objects are nearby?

 

Do you seriously think China abides by RoHS? Have you not heard of the thousands upon thousands of U.S. recalls in the past few months alone because of Chinese products with fatally-high lead content? For that matter, do you think China abides by RoHS requirements against mercury, cadmium, Cr6+, PBB, or PBDE? I doubt it. Chinese industry is and has been turning China into a toxic cesspool with zero regard for environment or health. "China RoHS" is a political PR stunt and laughable.

For at least six or seven years now, the U.S. has played a HUGE role in the research, development, testing, and roll-out of technologies and processes needed for RoHS. For example, the development of alloys and plating techniques using combinations of copper, tin, gold, silver, and OSP, especially for HASL. Unless a U.S. company is selling strictly to the U.S. military under a waiver, then their products are probably RoHS by now. As of July 2006, it's required for products produced in or shipped to the EU and much of Asia (not China). Most U.S. companies converted to RoHS at least 18 months ago to meet the July 2006 deadline. Case in point: Have you tried to buy leaded parts (ICs, discretes, etc.) recently? It ain't easy. Go check out what Digikey and Mouser have. If you can even get leaded parts, they usually have to be special ordered at higher cost and can easily have a 3+ month lead time and much of those parts are on EOL notification. Why? Because the vast majority of U.S. manufacturing companies are already RoHS!