(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
With everyone in China celebrating the Lunar New Year, BYD Company must certainly be celebrating its spectacular EV car sales in 2016.
The Chinese battery and car manufacturer saw its 2016 EV sales rocket up a dramatic 70% over 2015.
For the year, BYD sold roughly 100,000 cars as compared to 59,000 in 2015.
BYD’s sales leader was its pure-electric E6 sedan, which sold over 20,000 units for the year. The 5-passenger car uses BYD’s iron-phosphate battery to achieve a range of roughly 186 miles (300km).
BYD and Berkshire Hathaway
In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million is now worth roughly $1.77 billion.
For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.
© 2017 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.