If you haven’t heard of Chinese car maker BYD (which stands for Build Your Dreams) yet, it probably won’t be long till you do. The company, backed by investor Warren Buffett, has dealt with a bumpy year of sales in Asia, but was the only Chinese automaker to strut its stuff at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. And with good reason. The renewable-energy company is planning to launch its first U.S. car, an electric vehicle dubbed “e6,” in early 2012.

The five-door hatchback e6 will likely face tough competition in the form of the Nissan LEAF and Ford Focus Electric, purely electric rides that will be around to woo consumers before BYD’s launch. But consumers will have good reason to check out the newcomer – the e6 is promising a driving range of 186 miles (compared to LEAF’s approximately 100-mile range) between charging stops, as well as a healthy top speed of 87 miles per hour.

The automaker is planning to roll out its zero-emission cars in southern Cali first, where is will also build its North American headquarters. In addition, they’ll also manufactures solar panels, energy efficient lighting and batteries. It all sounds good, that’s for sure. So here’s my question: Will U.S. car shoppers be intrigued – or turned off – by an EV from China, a current leader in electrification?