Sino-Japanese joint venture Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile Co., Ltd. is expected to face a great development opportunity by setting foot in the CDV field, with a strong support from Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Early this month, a senior executive said that Nissan Motor would introduce its best CDV model, the NV200, into the to-be-built second plant of Zhengzhou Nissan. If successful, the JV based in the northern Chinese city of Zhengzhou, Henan Province, will play a more important role in the Japanese auto titan's development strategy in China.

Dongfeng Motor Group Co. Ltd. (SEHK: 0489) and Nissan Motor, two shareholders of Zhengzhou Motor, jointly announced in September 2008 that they would invest CNY 1.04 billion in establishment of the SUV and pickup JV's second factory.

Two years ago, only one fourth of Nissan Motor's total LCV (light commercial vehicle) sales came from China, but the fast-growing market could be more important to the Japanese carmaker, said people with the direct knowledge of the matter.

As a matter of fact, the world's LCV market kept a rapid growth in recent years. Total LCV sales volume of Nissan Motor in China boosted 50% in the past four years. Up to 191,000 units were sold in 2009 alone, accounting for 40% of its global total.

Analysts point out that the mini passenger car and CDV will coexist in the Chinese automobile market for a long time in the near future, based on the local economic situation. But there is no doubt that the nation will upgrade its traditional mini passenger vehicle market to the new-type CDV market, when a series of new CDV models are unveiled in succession.

Zhengzhou Nissan had decided to build a presence in this sector last year. In November 2009, a kind of CDV model under the Dongfeng brand hit the domestic market, targeting the customers who want to upgrade their mini cars.

According its medium- and long-term development strategy, the JV will strive for a total sales volume of 100,000 vehicles this year, including 50,000 units of three new MPV (multi-purpose vehicle), light truck, and CDV brands.

As for 2012, it will spare no effort to sell 200,000 cars. To be specific, total sales volumes of the CDV, pickup, SUV, and light truck are targeted for 80,000 to 120,000, 40,000 to 50,000, 40,000, and 20,000 units, respectively.

The NV200 is reported to make its debut on the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition from April 25 to May 2, 2010.

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