Zhengzhou Nissan to launch compact MPV soon

Shanghai, April 13 (Gasgoo.com) Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile Co., Ltd., a China-Japan joint venture in Zhengzhou of central China's Henan province, will launch a small MPV model based on Nissan Serena in summer, the Beijing News reported Monday.

The company said the new MPV, codenamed C16A, can seat seven people and will be sold under Dongeng brand. The C16A will be powered by a 1.6L fuel engine and might be priced below 100,000 yuan ($14,634).

Meanwhile a C16A all-electric sedan is also being developed which, the automaker said, can travel 150 km on a single charge. It can take a full charge in 5 hours. The company hopes to begin producing the electric car by 2010.

Zhengzhou Nissan Auto is a light vehicle joint venture established by Dongfeng Motor Corp and Japanese partner Nissan in March 1993. Nissan holds 20.3 percent of the venture.

Separately, Nissan said on Friday it had signed a cooperation accord with Chinese authorities to produce environmentally friendly vehicles in Wuhan. The automaker said the first models will hit the road in 2011.