GAC to increase EV capacity to 200000 by 2015

Gasgoo.com (Shanghai April 20) - The Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC Motor), best known for its joint venture with Honda, announced plans to increase its new energy vehicle capacity to 200,000 vehicles by 2015, the Guangzhou Daily reported today.

The proposed 200,000 vehicles capacity, which is equivalent to Guangzhou province's new energy vehicle consumption target, will include pure electrics, electric hybrids, and liquefied petroleum gas powered passenger vehicles and buses.

"Hybrid electrics and plug-in electrics are the focus of our work, [as] our strategy is a general shift to [producing] pure electric vehicles." GAC General Manager Zeng Qinghong said.

In related news, GAC's electric Trumpchi, counterpart to the self-made sedan shown at last year's Beijing International Automobile Exhibition (Auto China 2010), will also be produced by the end of this year, according to Mr. Zeng. "[The factory] currently producing the Trumpchi will manufacture the electric Trumpchi," Mr. Zeng said.