Changan Auto to sell 1,000 Jiexun-HEVs in '09

Shanghai, April 3 (Gasgoo.com) Changan Automobile, China's fourth-largest automaker, will put its self-developed hybrid-power sedan Jiexun-HEV onto the market in May. The company aims to sell 1,000 Jiexun-HEV this year, said Renyong, vice general manager of Changan's new energy auto subsidiary, to Shanghai Securities News.

This hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) model of Changan Auto is the first in production in China featuring the all-domestic hybrid drive system technology.

With a development period of six years, the car had finally become a mass-produced model with world-class technologies, Ren said. Now the automaker is prepared to manufacture ten Jiexun-HEVs for China's State Council, the cabinet.

It is reported that Changan Auto beat two other domestic automakers to win the order when the government announced to buy ten hybrids for promoting new energy cars one month ago.

The new Jiexun-HEV sedan has been developed using China's own intellectual property rights for the engine, hybrid power system and the car as a whole, and that is why Changan can win the bid, according to Ren.

The automaker now is busy in talks with potential partners for promoting its hybrid technologies. Apart from cooperation talks with Chongqing Bus Company for using sedan hybrid technology in bus, Changan Auto will start international cooperation with US-based Ford to provide hybrid products for the US automaker.

The report said another unnamed American company is likely to jointly build a new energy venture with Changan Auto, in order to develop Changan's Yuexiang pure electic model.