BYD Co Ltd expects its net profits to plummet 85 percent to 95 percent for the first half of this year, compared to the same period a year ago, China Business News reported on Wednesday.

The Shenzhen- and Hong Kong-listed Chinese automaker announced its expectations for a poor first-half performance in a statement.

The company blamed the end of tax breaks in China for buying low-emission cars, and also cited lower sales in the company's other business divisions such as mobile phone components.

BYD went public in Shenzhen last month.

BYD's US billionaire shareholder Warren Buffett said he wouldn't sell his stake in the company during a visit to China last year, and market watchers doubt other shareholders will abandon the company since they already made plenty of money from the recent IPO, the newspaper reported.