VW to partner with the Chinese for hybrids!

In recent news, Europe's largest carmaker Volkswagen has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Chinese carmaker BYD (that's short for "Build Your Dreams"...stop sniggering) with both sides promising to explore partnership options in the field of hybrid and electric cars. These will include VW's BlueMotion range of cars, along with its forthcoming up! urban vehicle.

The interaction between the two companies seems to have been cordial and of top-level. The Chinese contingent comprising of BYD Chief Wang Chuanfu toured VW's technical facilities at Isenbuttel and its test tracks at Wolfsburg, in the company of Volkswagen Tech Chief Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg. The MoU was signed later in the day between Martin Winterkorn and Wang. Obviously, the Germans weren't taking this contingent lightly.

LNow we're all aware of the dichotomy between the perceived quality of German and Chinese cars. While the Germans have been known to be perfectionists in terms of technology and build quality, the Chinese have built this image of making reverse-engineered made-for-the-moment automobiles. The typecasts seem to breaking for good, as more and more international car makers are acknowledging the cathay side for the volumes it is capable of churning out domestically, apart from the ultra-affordable manufacturing costs possible in few places apart from China.