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[Due to the increasing size of the archives, each topic page now contains only the prior 365 days of content. Access to older stories is now solely through the Monthly Archive pages or the site search function.]
Honda outlines short-term directions for China; local production of hybrids pushed back to 2016
June 17, 2013
Jointly with Guangqi Honda Automobile Co., Ltd. and Dongfeng Honda Automobile Co., Ltd., Honda’s automobile production and sales joint venture companies in China, Honda Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd. (HMCI), a wholly-owned Honda subsidiary, outlined Honda’s technology directions, plans for new model introductions, and increasing localization of research and development operation in China. Honda is planning to introduce 12 new models in China before the end of 2015.
Among the outlined directions was a statement that Honda “is striving to begin local production of hybrid models within the next three years”—i.e., by 2016. The company earlier had suggested that it would begin local production of hybrids, which it sells into the China market, in 2014. (Suggestions of local production of Honda hybrids in China go back further than that to at least 2004. Earlier post.)
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Freescale S12 MagniV Mixed-Signal MCUs supporting mid-class vehicle growth in China
May 31, 2013
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| Freescale’s S12 MagniV block diagram. Click to enlarge. |
China’s automotive market is now the largest in the world by volume, with some 22 million units produced last year, and expectations of 22-23 million units this year. Automobile sales alone in China posted a 13% year-over-year gain for April 2013, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
At the same time, the amount of electronic content per vehicle continues to increase as automakers add features to differentiate themselves in this highly competitive market. To help address the need for cost-effective vehicle electronic systems, the Freescale Semiconductor S12 MagniV mixed-signal microcontroller (MCU) portfolio (earlier post) offers Chinese automakers highly integrated, single-chip solutions that are reliable, easy to develop with, and energy and weight efficient, helping to reduce the bill of materials and hence, overall manufacturing costs.
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China team engineers cyanobacterium for significant increase in alka(e)ne production
May 06, 2013
Strains of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 engineered by researchers from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (China) increased their production of alka(e)nes by some 8 times compared with wildtype strains. Alkanes are the major constituents of gasoline, diesel and jet fuels. An open access paper on their work is published in the journal Biotechnology for Biofuels.
Some of the same researchers had earlier reported the application of a consolidated bioprocessing strategy to integrate photosynthetic biomass production and microbial conversion producing ethanol together into Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, with the resulting engineered organism directly converting carbon dioxide to ethanol in one single biological system. (Earlier post.)
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Geely and Detroit Electric enter strategic partnership to co-develop EVs for China
April 25, 2013
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| The Emgrand EC7-EV at Auto Shanghai. Click to enlarge. |
Geely Automobile Group and Detroit Electric Inc. have entered into a strategic partnership to co-develop battery-electric vehicles and related electric drive systems for the China market. Under the terms of the partnership, the first EV model—the Emgrand EC7-EV, based on Geely’s Emgrand EC7—will go on sale in 2014.
The EC7-EV will be co-branded with a “Detroit Electric – Technology” badge. The vehicle will initially be sold primarily to business users and public-sector organisations, and the two companies are forecasting sales of around 3,000 units in the first 12 months, growing to 30,000 in three years’ time.
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Maxwell supplying ultracapacitors for light rail braking energy recuperation system; 2.8% energy savings
April 23, 2013
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| Clockwise from upper left: ESS enclosure, power control unit and ultracapacitor modules. Source: TIGGER, Tri-Met. Click to enlarge. |
Maxwell Technologies, Inc. is supplying ultracapacitors for an energy-saving braking energy recuperation system that American Maglev Technology (AMT), is installing on light rail vehicles operated by the Portland, Oregon area’s Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District (TriMet).
The ultracapacitor-based Energy Storage System (ESS) is an embedded system that captures, stores and discharges 0.7 kWh of energy for use in commercial transit applications. The ESS consists of the ultracapacitors and the required conditioning choppers and auxiliary devices to recapture and store a transit vehicle’s kinetic energy that would otherwise be lost during braking to be re-used for future departures or for the vehicle’s auxiliary power.
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GM outlines plans for China with 17 launches this year; developing advanced propulsion and electrification tech in China
April 21, 2013
General Motors discussed its future plans in China during a press conference in conjunction with the start of Auto Shanghai 2013. GM and its joint ventures are launching 17 new and upgraded models in China this year, including the Chevrolet Cruze hatchback; the new Wuling Sunshine; two new Jiefang light-duty trucks, the S230 and F330; and the Insignia Sports Tourer, Zafira Tourer and Astra GTC from Opel.
GM is also in the process of bringing Cadillac’s entire global portfolio to China, adding one locally produced model per year through 2016. Earlier this year, it introduced the locally produced XTS luxury sedan as well as the refreshed SRX luxury SUV, which is Cadillac’s best-selling model in China.
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Johnson Controls to supply AGM batteries to Chery Jaguar Land Rover in China; introducing 48V micro hybrid system
April 19, 2013
Johnson Controls will provide its Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) advanced lead-acid battery technology to power the Chery Jaguar Land Rover Start-Stop and other vehicles made in China to serve the China market. Start-Stop systems help reduce fuel consumption as the engine shuts off when the vehicle comes to a stop in traffic or at a red light. The battery restarts the engine when the driver’s foot releases the brake pedal or engages the clutch.
Separately, the company will debut to the China market its 48-volt Micro Hybrid battery demonstration module (earlier post) at the 15th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (Auto Shanghai 2013). Leveraging a dual voltage architecture, the Micro Hybrid battery system involves a low voltage lead-acid battery and a 48 volt Lithium-ion battery that enable optimization of energy generation and consumption, thus saving fuel.
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Toyota to conduct verification tests of traffic alleviation system in Beijing
April 16, 2013
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (China) Co., Ltd. (TMEC), Beihang University and CenNavi Technologies Co., Ltd. have agreed to begin a joint verification testing project in which data from the Toyota-developed NETSTREAM (NETwork Simulator for TRaffic Efficiency And Mobility) traffic-flow simulator will be used in practical car-based applications to help alleviate traffic congestion in Beijing, China.
Toyota Central R&D Labs (CRDL) began developing NETSTREAM some 15 years ago, with the intention of predicting the introductory effects of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) for reducing traffic congestion, pollution reduction, and preliminary evaluation of traffic measures. In the early NETSTREAM I, CRDL used a block density method to calculate a wide-area traffic flow at high speed.
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Zhongding Power to invest more than $200M to build EcoMotors opoc plant in China
April 09, 2013
p> Zhongding Power and EcoMotors have entered an agreement for the production of the opoc (opposed-piston, opposed cylinder) engine (earlier post). One of the largest automotive component conglomerates in China, Zhongding will finance and construct the first opoc plant in the Anhui Province.
The plant represents an investment by Zhongding of more than US $200 million and will have a capacity of about 150,000 engines per year—or more than US $1 billion in revenue potential. High-volume production is expected to begin in 2014.
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Ford unveils 1.5L EcoBoost engine in new Mondeo in China (corrected)
April 04, 2013
Ford unveiled the new, fifth-generation global Mondeo in China, the first Ford to be equipped with the new 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine. The new 3 4-cylinder, 1.5L EcoBoost is the fifth and latest member to join Ford’s global family of EcoBoost engines, which includes a 1.0-liter three-cylinder, 1.6- and 2.0-liter four-cylinders, and two 3.5-liter V6 variants.
Ford’s EcoBoost technology combines direct fuel injection, turbocharging and variable valve timing to enable a downsized engine to gain fuel economy by up to 20% over larger engines with no loss of performance. The 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine is projected to produce 132 kW (177 hp) of power at 6,000 rpm and peak torque of 240 N·m (177 lb-ft) from 1,500 to 4,500 rpm.
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PHEV powertrain company ALTe in new commercial vehicle JV in China with Henan Benma; target 10K units/year
March 21, 2013
ALTe Powertrain Technologies (ALTe), developer of a range-extended plug-in electric hybrid vehicle (PHEV) powertrain for light commercial fleet vehicle applications (earlier post), will establish a new commercial vehicle manufacturing Joint Venture with the Henan Benma Company (Benma) in the Henan province of China.
Henan Benma was originally part of a $200-million “mega JV”—MESA Industrial Technology Corporation—announced in August 2012, which would have seen the opening of four factories in 4 provinces in China. (Earlier post.) However, that structure with became unwieldy, explained John Thomas, ALTe Chairman, President and CEO. Two investors split off from the original 4 entity investor group. MESA is still moving forward as a powertrain entity with just one lead investor based in Beijing, Thomas said, while Henan Benma, which was part of the original MESA deal, moved out to do a specific and higher level vehicle OEM deal with ALTe in their province.
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Qoros premieres first production vehicle, hybrid concept at Geneva
February 15, 2013
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| Qoros 3 sedan. Click to enlarge. |
Qoros Automotive, an equal joint venture partnership founded in 2007 between China-based Chery Automobile and Israel Corporation, is presenting the world premiere of its first series production vehicle, the C-segment Qoros 3 Sedan, at the Geneva International Motor Show. In addition, the automaker is presenting two concepts based on the Qoros 3: the Cross Hybrid Concept and the Estate Concept.
The Qoros 3 Sedan, which is entering a pre-production development phase after two summers and two winters of testing at locations around the world, is due to be launched in China in the second half of 2013, with first European sales following later in the year. The launch of further Qoros models is then planned at intervals of approximately six months. Rapid expansion of the model range is possible due to a modular vehicle architecture developed in-house, the company said.
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Daimler to take 12% stake in BAIC Motor
February 01, 2013
According to a new binding agreement, Daimler AG will invest in BAIC Motor, the passenger car unit of BAIC Group. Daimler’s investment will take place through the issuance of new shares corresponding to a 12% stake in BAIC Motor. This move comes ahead of an intention by BAIC Motor to launch an initial public offering (IPO) in the future.
Daimler’s shareholding in BAIC Motor is subject to the approval by the relevant authorities. A closing of the transaction is expected by the end of this year or early next year. The move, making Daimler the first non-Chinese automotive company to take a stake in a Chinese OEM, deepens an existing strategic partnership.
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Volvo Group to acquires 45% of Dongfeng Commercial Vehicles for $900M; Volvo to become world’s largest manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks
January 26, 2013
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| China is the world’s largest truck market. Click to enlarge. |
AB Volvo has signed an agreement with the Chinese vehicle manufacturer Dongfeng Motor Group Company Limited (DFG) to acquire 45% of a new subsidiary of DFG, Dongfeng Commercial Vehicles (DFCV), which will include the major part of DFG’s medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles business.
Completion of the transaction will make the Volvo Group the world’s largest manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks with a combined annual volume (2011) of 326,000 HD trucks and 98,000 MD trucks.
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Chinese automakers bring hybrids and plug-ins to Detroit, Geneva auto shows
January 19, 2013
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| The E-JET concept range extended electric vehicle from GAC. Click to enlarge. |
At least two Chinese automakers are bringing some of their new energy vehicles—hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric—to two of the major international auto shows in the first quarter of this year.
Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. (GAC) brought three to the 2013 North American International Auto Show (2013 NAIAS) in Detroit this month: a 4x4 Hybrid Version of the Trumpchi Sedan; a battery-electric version of the Trumpchi GS5 SUV; and the Compact NEV E-JET range-extended electric vehicle. Qoros Auto Co. Ltd.—a partnership between Chery Automobile, China’s largest independent car manufacturer, and Israel Corporation—is bringing its Cross Hybrid Concept to the Geneva Motor Show in March.
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Tsinghua University provincial-level lifecycle study finds fuel-cycle criteria pollutants of EVs in China could be up to 5x those of natural gas vehicles due to China’s coal-dominant power mix
January 12, 2013
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| Consumption-based power mixes and NG transmission distances by Chinese province in 2010. Credit: ACS, Huo et al. Click to enlarge. |
A province-by-province life cycle analysis of natural gas and electric vehicles by a team from Tsinghua University concludes that while, from the perspective of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) and criteria pollutant emissions, natural gas vehicles (CNGVs) are “an option with no obvious merits or demerits”, electric vehicles (EVs) are “an option with significant merits and demerits in this regard” due to China’s heavily coal-based electricity generation (national average of about 77%).
In regions where the share of coal-based electricity is relatively low, EVs can achieve substantial GHG reduction, the team reports in a paper in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology. However, the fuel-cycle PM10, PM2.5, SO2, and NOx emissions of EVs could be up to five times higher than those of ICEVs (internal combustion engine vehicles) and CNGVs. While the increases in PM10 and PM2.5 emissions are less important because of the low contribution of light duty vehicles to national PM10 and PM2.5 emissions, the NOx and SO2 increases are significant enough to notably change total national emissions, they conclude.
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Nissan and Tsinghua University’s Suzhou Automotive Research Institute sign MOU on cooperative research
November 29, 2012
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and Suzhou Automobile Research Institute at Tsinghua University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, in which the two parties have agreed to promote a cooperative effort regarding the research of future automotive technology. Aiming to solidify the strategic joint research efforts between Nissan and Tsinghua University, the agreement includes a mutual personnel exchange program designed to take advantage of both parties’ strengths.
While China has grown to become the largest automobile market in the world, Nissan aspires to create and contribute new ideas to the future of its mobility society. In order for Nissan to accomplish this goal, the company believes it needs a strong local partner to aid in the understanding and research of the unique challenges China poses, especially for advanced technologies.
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GM CTO says company accelerating electric vehicle development in China; R&D focus on batteries and lightweight materials
November 27, 2012
General Motors is accelerating the development of electrified vehicles in China, Jon Lauckner, GM Chief Technology Officer, vice president of Global Research & Development, and president of GM Ventures, said in a presentation at the FISITA 2012 World Automotive Congress in Beijing.
In September 2011, GM China opened the Advanced Materials Lab in Shanghai. The facility, which is part of the GM China Advanced Technical Center, is engaged in research on battery technology and lightweight materials.
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Shanghai General Motors introduces Sail SPRINGO EV at Auto Guangzhou 2012; green technology strategy to 2020
November 26, 2012
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| The Sail SPRINGO EV. Click to enlarge. |
At the opening of Auto Guangzhou 2012, Shanghai General Motors launched its first localized new energy vehicle, the Sail SPRINGO EV. The vehicle was developed by Shanghai GM and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC), making it the first production electric vehicle created by a Chinese joint venture.
A limited number of the Sail SPRINGO EVs will initially be sold starting in Shanghai as part of a trial program to enable Shanghai GM to better understand Chinese consumers’ preferences and user habits for electric vehicles. The SPRINGO EV will be sold for RMB 258,000 (US$41,460). Buyers in Shanghai will enjoy incentives of up to RMB 60,000 (US$9,642) from the central government and RMB 40,000 (US$6,428) from the Shanghai government. In addition, the car will qualify for a free local Shanghai license plate exclusively for electric vehicles.
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BorgWarner expects $2.3B of net new powertrain business 2013–2015; 80% engine-related; 32% in China
November 07, 2012
BorgWarner Inc. expects $2.3 billion of net new powertrain business for 2013 through 2015. Demand for the company's advanced powertrain technologies, including gasoline and diesel turbochargers; dual-clutch transmission technology; engine timing systems; and emissions products, is expected to continue to drive strong growth.
Of the total new business, approximately 80% is anticipated from engine-related products such as turbochargers, ignition systems, emissions products, engine timing systems, variable cam timing modules and thermal systems. The remaining approximate 20% is expected from drivetrain-related products including the company’s fuel-efficient DualTronic transmission technology and its traditional automatic transmission and all-wheel drive technologies.
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ALTe Powertrain Technologies to form $200M JV in China; 4 factories plus $70M services contract for range-extended plug-in light commercial powertrain
August 31, 2012
US-based ALTe Powertrain Technologies, the developer of a range-extended plug-in electric hybrid powertrain for light commercial vehicles (earlier post), has entered into a Joint Venture agreement in China with MESA Century New Energy Technology, Inc. A total of US$200 million has been committed to the JV at this stage.
Under the agreement, ALTe will own one third of the Joint Venture known as MESA Industrial Technology Corporation. Using $130 million, the company will open four factories in China while receiving a US$70-million engineering services contract to design a system specifically for the China fleet market. The JV will target the medium-duty bus and truck market in China with opportunities to export globally on multiple vehicle applications.
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Airbus and Tsinghua University partner on aviation biofuels
August 27, 2012
Airbus and Tsinghua University have formed a partnership to complete a sustainability analysis of Chinese feedstocks, and to evaluate how best to support the development of a value chain to speed up the commercialization of aviation bio-fuels. The value chain aims to produce and to promote the use of aviation bio-fuel in China, the world’s fastest growing aviation market.
In phase one, the partnership is assessing suitable feedstocks that comply with ecological, economic and social sustainability criteria. The sustainability analysis is managed by Airbus and involves close collaboration with Tsinghua and leading European institutions. Phase two will narrow down the most promising alternative fuel solutions.
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A123 Systems and Wanxiang execute definitive agreements for investment of up to $465M in A123
August 16, 2012
US-based Li-ion battery manufacturer A123 Systems announced the execution of definitive agreements with China’s Wanxiang Group Corporation, which follows the non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) that A123 signed with Wanxiang on 8 August 2012. (Earlier post.) Under the terms of the definitive agreements, Wanxiang plans to invest up to $465 million in A123, which includes an initial credit extension of $25 million that A123 expects to receive this week.
Wanxiang is China’s largest automotive components manufacturer and one of China’s largest non-government-owned companies. (Earlier post.) A123 Systems expects the full investment from Wanxiang will provide it with the capital necessary to strengthen its competitive position in the global vehicle electrification and grid energy storage markets.
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COMAC of China, Boeing open Energy Conservation Center; first focus on aviation biofuel from waste cooking oil
Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) and Boeing opened the Boeing-COMAC Aviation Energy Conservation and Emissions Reductions Technology Center, a collaborative effort to support commercial aviation industry growth. The Boeing-COMAC Technology Center’s first research project will explore opportunities to refine waste cooking oil, often described in China as “gutter oil,” into sustainable aviation biofuel.
Funded by both companies, the Boeing-COMAC Technology Center is working with China-based universities and research institutions to expand knowledge in areas such as sustainable aviation biofuels and air traffic management that improve commercial aviation’s efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. It is located in COMAC’s new Beijing Aeronautical Science and Technology Research Institute (BASTRI).
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GM China begins prototype battery cell fabrication
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| GM China Advanced Technical Center’s Cell Fabrication Lab in Shanghai recently produced its first batch of battery cells. Click to enlarge. |
General Motors China is fabricating and testing prototype battery cells and complete systems at its Advanced Technical Center in Shanghai to support GM researchers and engineers in the development of next-generation vehicle battery systems. These systems are expected to be more affordable for GM customers around the world and help GM expand vehicle electrification.
Researchers will be able to complete a series of processes, including battery material preparation, battery material coating, battery cell fabrication and battery cell performance testing. GM’s goal is to accelerate the development of batteries with improved energy density, allowing smaller overall system sizes and reducing costs.
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Boston-Power to supply Li-ion battery systems to Beijing Electric Vehicle Company for EVs, starting with Saab 9-5 based C70
August 08, 2012
Boston-Power, Inc., a provider of next-generation lithium-ion battery cells, modules and systems (earlier post), has entered a multi-year agreement to provide lithium-ion battery systems to Beijing Electric Vehicle Company (BJEV), the electric vehicle delivery arm of Beijing Automotive Industry Company (BAIC). The two companies, which have a long-standing working relationship, project that Boston-Power’s battery systems will be used in hundreds of electric vehicles (EVs) starting in 2012 and thousands of EVs by 2014.
The systems will be based on Boston-Power’s second-generation Swing 5300 cells, said Dr. Christina Lampe-Önnerud, Boston-Power’s Founder and International Chairman. Under the terms of the agreement, Boston-Power’s battery systems are expected to support multiple BJEV models and brands.
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China’s CNOOC to acquire Canada-based Nexen for $15.1B; offshore oil and gas, oil sands, and shale gas
July 23, 2012
CNOOC Limited—China’s largest producer of offshore crude oil and natural gas and one of the largest independent oil and gas exploration and production companies in the world—is acquiring all of the Common Shares of Canada-based energy company Nexen Inc. for US$15.1 billion cash. The price represents a premium of 61% relative to the closing price of the Common Shares on the NYSE on 20 July 2012 and a premium of 66% relative to the volume-weighted average price of the Common Shares over the 20 trading days ending 20 July 2012. Nexen’s current debt of approximately US$4.3 billion will remain outstanding.
Nexen is focused on three core businesses: conventional offshore oil and gas; oil sands; and shale gas:
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CCID Consulting estimates upsurge in aluminum for automobile bodies in China if technical breakthroughs in alloy performance and application technology are made
July 14, 2012
China-based and -focused CCID Consulting estimates that the China passenger vehicle market will need at least 1.802 million tons of aluminum sheets annually, assuming that aluminum replaces 15% of the steel used in automobile manufacturing by 2015. Even if aluminum only replaces 5% of the steel, the demand will still be as large as 601,000 tons.
While the the growth rate of China’s automobile sales volume shrank in 2011 to 2.45%—partly due to the state’s suspension of auto consumption incentive policies—factors driving the growth of China’s automobile market remained unchanged, CCID notes. The progress of urbanization and the upgrade of the consumption structure will continue to boost the automobile consumption. CCID estimates that China’s automobile market will keep a stable growth from 2012 to 2015, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.1%. The sales volume is expected to reach 25.287 million by 2015.
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In-wheel electric drive company Protean receives $84M in funding; to build production plant in China
July 10, 2012
Protean Electric, developer of in-wheel electric drive systems (earlier post), received $84 million in new funding from GSR Ventures, New Times Group, Oak Investment Partners and the city of Liyang, Jiangsu Province, China. This capital will be used to bring Protean’s electric drive technology to production by establishing manufacturing facilities in Liyang.
The funding is led by GSR Ventures, a venture capital firm based in Beijing and Silicon Valley. They will be joined by the New Times Group, a Liyang-based industrial group. Oak Investment Partners, Protean’s first venture investor, is also participating in this round of funding. The city of Liyang is partnering to provide prototype manufacturing support, with favorable industrial policy.
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China publishes plan to boost fuel-efficient and new energy vehicles and domestic auto industry; targeting 500K PHEVs and EVs in 2015, rising to 2M by 2020
July 09, 2012
China’s State Council has published a plan to develop the domestic energy-saving and new energy vehicle industry, which includes battery-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. The central government’s plan, posted on its website, is targeting the production of 500,000 plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles by 2015, with output to grow to 2 million units of those types by 2020. China is targeting the cumulative production and sales of more than 5 million new energy vehicles, including fuel cell vehicles, by that time as well.
China has made progress with automotive energy-saving technologies over the past 10 years through implementing passenger car fuel consumption limits and the use of fiscal policy to encourage the purchase of small cars, the government statement noted. This progress includes advanced internal combustion engines; efficient transmissions; lightweight materials; and hybrid and other energy-saving technologies. Natural gas and other alternative fuel vehicle technology is basically mature, the government said, and is headed toward initial industrialization. However, generally speaking, the government continued, China has not achieved a breakthrough with new energy automobiles and core components of the key technologies.
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New inventory of black carbon emissions from China finds 2007 levels higher than previously reported
July 08, 2012
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| BC emission map of China at 0.1° × 0.1° for year 2007. East and West China are separated by a dashed line from Qiqihar, Yinchuan, to Kunming. Major emission areas are marked. Credit: ACS, Wang et al. Click to enlarge. |
A new black carbon (BC) emissions inventory from China found BC emissions levels in 2007 of 1,957 Gg BC—higher than reported in earlier studies. The inventory also forecasts that BC emissions in China in 2050 will be 920–2,183 Gg/yr under various scenarios, with the industrial and transportation sectors standing to benefit the most from technological improvements. The paper by researchers from Peking University and Environment Canada appears in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Black carbon is released into the atmosphere via incomplete combustion of carbonaceous fuel and is of major concern because of the impact on climate systems. BC emissions from Asia have been identified as a major cause of changing monsoon, the occurrence of the atmospheric brown cloud, and the retreat of Tibetan glaciers, in addition to impacting global temperature rise. (Earlier post.) Asia contributes more than half of global anthropogenic BC emissions and China is the largest emitter, according to the researchers.
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Pike Research forecasts China plug-in market to reach 152,000 units/year by 2017, falling short of government targets; BEVs to dominate
July 05, 2012
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| PEV Sales in China by segment: 2012-2017. Source: Pike Research. Click to enlarge. |
The government of China—now the world’s largest automotive market—has made vehicle electrification central to its plan for growing the automotive market both domestically and internationally, and accordingly has created many national and local incentives for plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) purchases.
However, according to a new report from Pike Research, PEV production will fall well short of the government’s ambitious goals of manufacturing 500,000 PEVs a year by 2015. Pike projects the PEV market in China will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 60% from 2012 to 2017, surpassing 152,000 units sold annually by 2017. However, that figure represents less than 1% of the total light duty vehicle market in China. Battery-electric (BEVs) will outsell plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in China by a greater than five-to-one margin during the forecast period, as the incentives and consumer demand in the country favor emissions-free driving.
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U-M and Shanghai Jiao Tong University fund 6 energy and biomedical projects; batteries, policy and fuels
June 28, 2012
Six research teams from the University of Michigan (U-M) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) have won a share of $1.16 million in funding for renewable energy and biomedical technology projects in the third year of a joint program that teams up investigators from both schools.
The energy projects chosen seek to improve electric vehicle batteries, to model the impact of renewable energy policy on the economy and the environment, and to better understand the combustion biodiesel fuels. The healthcare technology efforts are aimed at finding natural therapeutic agents in China's ecosystem, improving the treatment of sepsis, and creating a base of information on enzyme activity that could aid the development of new therapies.The energy projects are:
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Nissan JV in China investing $785M in new plant, targeting 2M units by 2015; 1,000 Venucia EVs for pilot in Dalian by 2014
June 25, 2012
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| The Venucia e-concept unveiled at the Beijing show in April. Click to enlarge. |
Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd. (DFL), Nissan’s joint venture with Dongfeng Motor Group in China, will build a new manufacturing facility in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China with an investment of up to RMB 5 billion (USD $785 million). The Dalian plant, scheduled to begin manufacturing Nissan-branded passenger vehicles, will have an initial annual production capacity of 150,000 units by 2014, and will expand up to 300,000 units.
DFL also signed a contract to deliver 1,000 Venucia-branded EVs to the pilot program conducted by Dalian Municipal Government by 2014. DFL and the City of Dalian, as a pilot city for alternative-energy vehicles, will collaborate to promote EVs and the infrastructure necessary to support them.
