Investor says BYD car business secondary to battery tech

By Chang-Ran Kim and Kevin Krolicki

DETROIT (Reuters) - BYD's (1211.HK) prospects in the auto industry were secondary to its lead in battery technology when MidAmerican Energy decided to take a stake in the Chinese company, the head of the utilities firm said on Monday.

MidAmerican Energy (MDPWN.OB), a unit of billionaire investor Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N), surprised financial markets in September with an agreement to purchase 10 percent of little-known BYD for $230 million (155 million pounds).

That led many to second-guess their initial doubts about BYD's chances in the auto industry, where the 13-year-old Hong Kong-listed battery maker is looking to make inroads with BYD-branded electric cars using its own batteries.

"The only part that played into (the investment decision) was the battery technology," MidAmerican Energy Chairman David Sokol told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the Detroit auto show. BYD shared the floor with General Motors GM.N, Toyota Motor (7203.T) and other industry giants for the first time.

"Whether or not they can manufacture their own cars isn't that relevant to us, because we see their real expertise is in the development of the batteries, the motors, the control systems for that," he said.

"That's not to say that they can't make a nice car, but a lot of people can make a nice car. The breakthrough from our perspective is their battery technology."

BYD is aiming to launch a plug-in hybrid model, the F6DM, and the E6 all-electric car, in the United States and Europe in 2011.

It has no sales target, but said at the auto show it would plan to produce the cars in the United States when volumes reached appropriate levels.