China to issue new energy vehicle development planning in two months
Shanghai September 6 (Gasgoo.com) China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and many other ministries are currently developing or accelerating implementation of the new energy vehicle policies, of which support policies for electric vehicles have become top priority, Shanghai Securities News reported Monday.
The "energy saving and new energy vehicle development plan (2011-2020)" has basically be completed and is expected to go public in two months, and the MIIT and other related departments are now engaged in the revision of the "automotive industry development policy 2004".
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Chery Auto to launch extended range electric vehicle next year
Shanghai September 6 (Gasgoo.com) China's homegrown automaker Chery Auto said last week it has mastered core technology of the extended range electric vehicle (E-REV), and will launch the vehicle to the domestic market in the first half of next year, the Beijing News reported Monday.
It is generally believed that the world's first E-REV is the Chevrolet Volt which landed in China last week. The E-REV, as its name suggests, can well extend the electric driving range.
Warren Buffett to inspect projects at BYD's production bases this month
Shanghai September 7 (Gasgoo.com) U.S. billionaire Warren Buffet will visit Chinese electric car maker, BYD Co.'s production bases in Shenzhen, Beijing and Changsha at the end of this month, Shanghai Securities News reported Tuesday.
As one of BYD's shareholders, Warren Buffet's visit to China is mainly for investigation of the carmaker's development and investment projects. Interested in electric vehicles, the stock God will pay a visit to BYD's electric sedan production base in Shenzhen and electric bus production base in Changsha, a person familiar with the matter revealed.
Nissan plans to mass produce EVs in China
Shanghai September 7 (Gasgoo.com) Nissan Motor has finished research and development of the electric vehicles at present, and will start mass production in China in five years, Nissan China's Managing Director, Hashimoto Tai Zhao told National Business Daily in an interview on Tuesday.
The Japanese automaker will start its zero-emission program in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei province next year, and will collect as much information as it can to improve vehicle adaptability and upgrade its technology in electric vehicles, Hashimoto said.
SAIC's auto financing firm under construction
Shanghai September 8 (Gasgoo.com) Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) is now establishing an auto financing firm in China with Bank of Jilin Co., Ltd., said Cheng Songbin, Vice President of the bank, in the 6th Changchun High-level International Finance Meeting, The Economic Observer Online reported on Wednesday.
The registered capital of the auto financing firm is 1 billion yuan ($147 million), of which Bank of Jilin contributed 340 million yuan, getting 1/3 stake in the firm.
Honda Accord Crosstour coming to China in Oct
Shanghai September 8 (Gasgoo.com) Guangzhou Honda Automobile Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Guangzhou Automobile and Honda Motor, will launch the Honda Accord Crosstour to the Chinese market in October, and expects to sell 10,000 units by the end of the year, Beijing Youth Daily reported Wednesday.
The Honda Accord Crosstour features a 280hp 3.5L V6 engine with variable cylinder management (VCM) technology and has a fuel consumption of 10.3 liters 100 km.
Geely Auto almost sheds cheap image, says President
Shanghai September 9 (Gasgoo.com) Geely Auto has almost shaken its cheap quality, low end, and bargin brand image, said Yang Jian, President of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd., Xinhua News Agency reported Thursday.
Geely Group, which acquired Volvo Car from Ford Motor, currently owns eight auto assembly plants, four engine plants, two transmission plants, five auto parts plants, three Universities and one automobile Institute in China, as well as Volvo Companies in Sweden, Belgium, and Malaysia. Moreover, it has a taxi company in London, England, a DSI automatic transmission factory in Australia and a jointly built electric vehicle production base in Tai Wan, Yang said.
Shanghai Volkswagen appoints new General Manager
Shanghai September 9 (Gasgoo.com) Zhang Hailiang, executive director for sales and marketing at Shanghai Volkswagen, will be promoted to General Manger, and Jia Mingdi will be appointed as Executive Vice President of Shanghai Volkswagen Automobile Sales Co., Ltd., Sina.com reported Thursday.
With rich experience in sales and marketing, Zhang Hailing has been running Shanghai VW since the company's former General Manager Liu Jian was killed on July 17 in a road accident, while Jin Di has been responsible for public relations for the company.
Geely to launch Englon SC515-RV hatchback before Dec
Shanghai September 10 (Gasgoo.com) Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. will launch the Englon SC515-RV A0-Class hatchback to the Chinese market before the end of this year, 163.com reported Friday.
The Englon SC515-RV will come with a 1.5L engine and possibly a 1.3L in due time, and measures (LxWxH) 3919mm x 1745mm x 1505mm, providing more space with a super long wheelbase of 2461mm.
Luxury car sales in China may reach 1.1 mln units by 2015
Shanghai September 10 (Gasgoo.com) Luxury cars' market share in China will surge significantly, J.P. Morgan predicted in a report released recently. Moreover, J.P. Morgan and J.D. Power both believe that China's luxury car sales are likely to reach 530,000 units this year, and more than double to 1.1 million units by 2015, Shanghai Securities News reported Friday.
Year to date, luxury brands like the Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Toyota Crown all had very good performance in China's auto market. In the January to August period, sales of Mercedes-Benz cars grew 137% from a year earlier to 87,400 units. In August alone, the brand sold about 13,340 units, up 119% year on year.
