HONG KONG - Chinese automaker BYD Co. said it plans to begin selling electric and hybrid cars in Western Europe next year, Bloomberg reported. 

In January, the automaker announced plans to start U.S. sales of its E6 electric-powered hatchback later this year. A vehicle and battery manufacturer, BYD has drawn investment from Warren Buffett. 

Earlier this month, BYD and Daimler AG said they were cooperating to develop an electric vehicle for the Chinese market. 

BYD signed a separate agreement in May with Volkswagen. That agreement called for the two companies to explore working together in areas such as hybrid cars and lithium battery-powered electric vehicles. 

Last year, BYD was the sixth biggest automaker by sales in China. The Chinese auto market grew to 13.6 million units in 2009, Bloomberg reported.

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