Twitter headlinesChina
[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.]
US and China Presidents Announce US-China Electric Vehicles Initiative, Six Other Measures to Strengthen Cooperation Between the Countries on Energy Issues
November 18, 2009
In Beijing, US President Barack Obama and China President Hu Jintao announced a package of seven measures to strengthen cooperation between the United States and China on clean energy, including: a Clean Energy Research Center; Electric Vehicles Initiative; Energy Efficiency Action Plan; Renewable Energy Partnership; 21st Century Coal; Shale Gas Initiative; and Energy Cooperation Program.
The US-China Electric Vehicles Initiative builds on the first-ever US-China Electric Vehicle Forum in September 2009. The two leaders emphasized their countries’ strong shared interest in accelerating the deployment of electric vehicles in order to reduce oil dependence, cut greenhouse gas emissions and promote economic growth. Activities under the initiative will include:
More... | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)
Cyclone Power Technologies Signs Letter of Intent To Expand Engine Development in China
November 04, 2009
Cyclone Power Technologies Inc. has signed a Letter of Intent with Great Wall Alternative Power Systems Ltd. to advance the development and production of Cyclone’s heat-regenerative external combustion engine in China. (Earlier post.)
Under the terms of the Letter of Intent, Great Wall Alternative Power Systems (GWAPS) will invest capital, assets and know-how necessary for a development program aimed at making certain of the Cyclone engine systems ready for production, sales and marketing in China within the next 12 to 24 months.
More... | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Honeywell’s UOP and China National Petroleum Corp. to Collaborate on Biofuels Projects in China, Including Renewable Diesel and Renewable Jet
| UOP’s Ecofining process produces drop-in hydrocarbon fuel replacements from natural oils. Source: UOP. Click to enlarge. |
UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, has signed a memorandum of understanding with China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) under which the two companies will collaborate on a range of biofuels technologies and projects in China.
Under the terms of the agreement, announced at the 20th meeting of the China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT), the companies will collaborate to demonstrate existing biofuels technology to produce green transportation fuels using feedstocks available within China. CNPC will evaluate the installation of a demonstration-scale UOP/Eni Ecofining process unit (earlier post) for the production of renewable diesel fuel, as well as a larger-scale unit at an existing or new CNPC refinery site.
More... | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
OnStar Service to Launch in China in December
October 29, 2009
Shanghai OnStar Telematics Co. Ltd., a joint venture between General Motors Company, SAIC Group and Shanghai General Motors (SGM), will activate OnStar services and be fully operational in China in December 2009. This marks OnStar’s first venture outside of North America.
SGM will eventually make this telematics service available on its full portfolio of products, beginning with Cadillac, then Buick and finally Chevrolet. SGM will provide one year of OnStar as standard to customers with OnStar equipped vehicles. The service will be available throughout mainland China and will be first launched in Mandarin Chinese.
More... | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Bombardier Sifang Wins US$4B Contract to Build 80 Very High Speed Trains for China
September 28, 2009
| The Bombardier ZEFIRO. Click to enlarge. |
Bombardier Transportation’s Chinese joint venture, Bombardier Sifang (Qingdao) Transportation Ltd., has been selected by the Chinese Ministry of Railways (MOR) to supply 80 ZEFIRO 380 very high speed trains (1,120 cars) for the country’s rapidly growing high speed rail network. The contract, including 20 eight-car trainsets and 60 sixteen-car trainsets, is valued at an estimated 27.4 billion Chinese Renminbis (US$4 billion, €2.7 billion). Bombardier’s share of the contract is estimated at 13.5 billion Chinese Renminbis, (US$2 billion, €1.3 billion).The first train is scheduled for delivery in 2012 with final deliveries expected in 2014.
The new trainsets will be an integral part of an evolving high speed rail capability in China, which is developing more than 6,000 km of new high speed lines. The trains, with maximum operating speeds of 380 km/h (236 mph), are based on Bombardier’s next-generation ZEFIRO high speed rail technology, and are powered by a Bombardier MITRAC propulsion and control system.
More... | Comments (18) | TrackBack (0)
Ford CEO Unveils New Figo for India Market and Export Sales, New Manufacturing Plant in China with Changan
September 25, 2009
| The Ford Figo. Click to enlarge. |
Ford Motor Company President and CEO Alan Mulally revealed the new Ford Figo, the anticipated new car to be produced in India and targeted at the India and export market. Ford said that Mulally’s visit for the reveal underscores the strategic importance of India in Ford’s future plans.
The new Ford Figo will be manufactured at Ford’s expanded integrated manufacturing facility near Chennai, which is undergoing a $500 million transformation to become a regional center of excellence for Ford small car production. (Earlier post.) The investment is doubling production capacity to 200,000 units per year.
More... | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Volkswagen Group to Invest €4B by 2011 to Expand Activities in China
September 12, 2009
The Volkswagen Group is set to continue its growth in China over the next few years. Between 2009 and 2011, the Group is to invest a total of €4 billion (US$5.8 billion) in new products and the expansion of production capacities in China.
The investments are to be financed from the cash flow of the Chinese joint venture companies. At the Nanjing and Chengdu plants, production is to be boosted to between 300,000 and 350,000 units in each case by 2012. These investment plans were approved on Friday by the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft.
More... | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
FuturaGene to Develop Enhanced Poplar for the Chinese Biofuel and Biopower Markets
September 10, 2009
Israel-based FuturaGene PLC, a plant genetic researcher and developer for global forestry, biofuel and agricultural markets, has entered into an agreement with the Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF) to develop new enhanced poplar variants that feature increased yield, processability and abiotic stress characteristics for the Chinese domestic market. This is the second collaboration between FuturaGene and CAF; the first agreement was signed in 2007 and aimed at improving yield processability and disease resistance of eucalyptus trees.
Futuragene will provide proprietary genes and technical assistance to Professor Liwang Qi, Chief Expert on Silva Genetics at CAF in Beijing. The program aims at improving yield, drought and salt tolerance of short-rotation poplar for the biofuel and biomass markets.
More... | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Algal Fuels Consortium (AFC) Wins $2.724M Australian Development Grant; Commercial Partner Sancon Has Rights for Commercialization in China
August 20, 2009
The Algal Fuel Consortium (AFC) recently won an A$2.724-million (US$2.259 million) research grant under the Department of Resources Energy and Tourism’s Second Generation Biofuels program in Australia. The grant will support the development of microalgal mass cultivation systems to generate biomass from captured CO2 emissions. This will then be used as a feedstock to a pilot-scale second generation biorefinery for sustainable production of biodiesel and value-added products.
Sancon Resources Recovery Inc., an environmental services and waste recycling company with operations in both China and Australia, is the founding commercial partner to the AFC and has the right to commercialize the technology for China.
More... | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Fiat Group and Guangzhou Automobile Group Creating JV for Chinese Market
July 07, 2009
| The agreement was signed in Rome by Zhang Fangyou, Chairman of GAC Group, and Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat Group, in the presence of the President of the People’s Republic of China, Hu Jintao, and the Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi. Click to enlarge. |
Fiat Group and Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. Ltd. (GAC Group) signed a Framework Agreement to establish a 50/50 joint venture for the production of cars and engines for the Chinese market.
The models produced will be equipped with the latest in engine and transmission technology in response to the Chinese government’s requirement to develop fuel-efficient, low-emission vehicles. The first model to be launched will be the C-segment Linea sedan. The first engines will be the Fire 1.4L 120 hp and 150 hp T-Jet.
More... | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
ECOtality Establishes Joint Venture to Manufacture and Distribute Electric Vehicle Charging Systems in China
July 06, 2009
ECOtality, Inc. has signed a letter of intent to enter into a joint venture with Shenzhen Goch Investment, Ltd. that will provide US$15 million to establish manufacturing and distribution operations for electric vehicle (EV) charging systems in China.
To support the Company’s anticipated expansion, ECOtality received a combined US$2.5 million direct investment from Shenzhen Goch and existing ECOtality institutional shareholders.
More... | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Ricardo to Develop 8-Speed Automatic Transmission with China’s Weifang Shengrui
June 24, 2009
Weifang Shengrui Power Machinery Technology Company has contracted Ricardo to collaborate on developing a technically advanced and globally competitive 8-speed automatic transmission (8AT) for manufacture in China. The team of Ricardo and Weifang Shengrui engineers will be based on site both at Ricardo Shanghai and Ricardo’s UK Midlands Technical Centre.
Weifang Shengrui Power Machinery Technology Co Ltd is a successful independently held supplier of engine components to the automakers and engine builders in the domestic Chinese market as well as to the leading manufacturers of Europe. The company has set its strategy of expansion into transmissions and hybrid powertrain components and systems.
More... | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Coda Automotive to Bring China-Built Electric Mid-size Sedan to California Market in 2010; New JV with Lishen for Automotive Li-ion Systems
June 03, 2009
| Components in the Coda. Click to enlarge. |
Coda Automotive, a new company formed and developed under the stewardship of entrepreneur Miles Rubin (known for his marketing and sales of low-speed, electric fleet vehicles under the Miles Electric Vehicles brand), will introduce an affordable, full-performance all-electric sedan built by Hafei in China to the California market in 2010.
Additionally, the company, which has an existing long-term sourcing contract with Tianjin Lishen Battery Joint-Stock Co., Ltd., (Lishen) for lithium-ion batteries used in the Coda, announced the establishment of a global joint venture with Lishen to design, manufacture and sell transportation and utility power storage battery systems. Coda will own 40% of the JV, with Lishen holding 60%.
More... | Comments (12) | TrackBack (0)
Orbital Corporation and Changan to Develop Concept Engine
May 01, 2009
 |
| The ChangAn CA18 FlexDI Concept Engine shown at Auto China 2008. Click to enlarge. |
Orbital Corporation Limited and Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd, China’s fourth largest automotive manufacturer, have entered into a joint development contract for a concept engine. The development will be carried out on Changan’s current gasoline engine platform with an objective to achieve a significant fuel economy benefit utilizing Orbital’s FlexDI technology. (Earlier post.)
The program is focused on fuel economy improvement while achieving Euro IV emissions level. Orbital was selected as the technology with the best potential to meet the aggressive targets required for the program.
More... | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Buick Mild Hybrid Business Concept Vehicle Unveiled in Shanghai
April 21, 2009
| The Buick Business Concept Vehicle. Click to enlarge. |
The Buick Business Concept, a new mild hybrid concept vehicle designed to showcase Buick’s future vision of “business class on the road,” made its global debut at Auto Shanghai 2009.
The multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) was developed in China by the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC), a design and engineering joint venture between General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), with global design input.
More... | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Renault-Nissan Alliance Partners with China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on EVs
April 10, 2009
The Renault-Nissan Alliance has entered a partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China (MIIT) for Zero-Emission Mobility, a first step in bringing Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) to China.
Nissan will provide MIIT with electric vehicle (EV) information and propose a comprehensive plan, including a blueprint for a battery-charging network and programs for mass-marketing EVs. The Chinese government has launched a pilot program of “new energy vehicles” to be rolled out to the public transport sector in 13 cities.
More... | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
China’s 2005 Carbon Emissions Almost Twice As Much As 2002 Emissions
February 28, 2009
by Jack Rosebro
 |
| Carbon emissions associated with increased exports from China (left), as part of a more systematic view of increased national emissions (right), 2002 to 2005. Guan et al. (2009) Click to enlarge. |
Energy efficiency gains in a rapidly modernizing China “cannot cope” with skyrocketing emissions caused by increased exports as well as domestic consumption, according to the paper “Journey to world’s top emitter,” published 27 February in Geophysical Research Letters. Researchers from Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States, estimated in the study that China’s 2005 carbon emissions were 80.59% or more higher than 2002 emissions.
“It is easier to understand the growth in China’s carbon emissions,” note the authors of the paper, “by considering which consumption activities—households and government, capital investments, and international trade—drive Chinese production and hence emissions.”
More... | Comments (13) | TrackBack (0)
Chery Launches S18 Electric Vehicle
February 19, 2009
 |
| The S18 EV. Click to enlarge. |
China automaker Chery has begun introduced the S18 EV, an all-battery electric vehicle it developed in-house. The S18 electric vehicle has a range of 120 to 150 km (75 to 93 miles) when fully charged, with a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph.).
The S18 features a 336V 40 kW electric drive system, powered by a battery pack built with 40 Ah lithium-ion iron phosphate batteries. At 220V, charge time is 4-6 hours. Fast charging will provide 80% of pack capacity in 30 minutes.
More... | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)
Study of In-use Vehicle Activity and Emissions in Tianjin, China Yields Fleet and Emissions Profiles, Policy Implications
February 18, 2009
From March 2005 to December 2006, a research team headed by the Energy Technology Innovation Policy research group at Harvard University and in collaboration with the China Automotive Research Center, Tsinghua University (the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering), and the International Sustainable Systems Research Center (associated with University of California, Riverside), carried out a project in Tianjin, China to study emissions from on-road vehicles.
Similar studies by the partners are being done in Beijing and Shanghai. Data gathering for the Beijing study was completed in 2008. Tianjin is the third-largest city in China, behind Beijing and Shanghai.
More... | Comments (0) | TrackBack (1)
Novozymes, COFCO and Sinopec to Partner on Cellulosic Ethanol from Corn Stover in China
February 02, 2009
Novozymes and its Chinese partner COFCO have entered a new partnership with major Chinese oil and energy company Sinopec to develop a commercial-scale process for producing cellulosic bioethanol from corn stover.
Together, the three partners cover the entire value chain of bioethanol production and distribution.
More... | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
China-based Battery Maker Takes Stake in US PHEV Conversion Company
December 22, 2008
Gold Peak Industries North America, a subsidiary of China-based GP Batteries International, has acquired an equity stake in Plug In Conversions Corp. (PICC), a designer, developer and marketer of kits that allow hybrid owners to convert their cars to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).
Founded in May 2007 with an initial target of Prius conversions, PICC currently offers a 6.1 kWh NiMH replacement pack kit—using GP batteries—for the Toyota OEM 1.3 kWh NiMH pack. The PHEV kit sells for $12,500, including installation.
