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Auto conference to take place in Tianjin

The annual International Forum on Chinese Automotive Industry Development will be held from Aug 30 to Sept 1 in Tianjin; it will focus on industrial policies and the latest trends in the world's largest automotive market, according to organizers. Yu Kai, head of the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, said the forum will also feature a G9 platform, which will allow experts and carmakers to explore opportunities for cooperation and development in new energy vehicle development. Representatives at the annual event will also discuss such topics as autonomous driving, fuel cell vehicles, commercial vehicles and emission cuts. The forum is expected to attract more than 1,000 participants.

Nidec to expand Chinese production

Japanese comprehensive motor manufacturer Nidec Corporation said that it plans to invest about $100 million to set up its second production site in East China's Zhejiang province. Nidec is seeking to increase its electric motor production capacity in China as the flourishing new energy vehicle and smartphone industries of the country have brought about "unprecedented" opportunities, the company said. The company has set a revenue target of 800 billion yen (about $7.3 billion) in the Chinese market by 2020, said Teruyuki Kai, vice-president of the corporation who is in charge of Nidec's operations in China.

Toyota to boost eco-vehicle in China

Toyota Motor plans to make an investment of more than $2.2 billion in China to boost the output of eco-friendly vehicles, local media reported Thursday. The Japanese automaker will cooperate with its Chinese partner Guangzhou Automobile Group to meet the growing demand for eco-cars. According to GAC Motor, Toyota plans to add 400,000 units to its eco-car production capacity per annum at GAC Toyota Motor in Guangzhou, southern China. The company is equally owned by Toyota and GAC. GAC Toyota Motor plans to invest $1.6 billion to expand production capacity in two phases for scheduled completion in 2022, Guangzhou Automobile said.

Dyson driving toward all-terrain electric car

James Dyson, famed for his vacuum cleaners, hinted Thursday that the electric car his firm is developing would be more energy efficient than rivals - and with "very large wheels" for city and rough-terrain driving. Releasing brief details of patents filed 18 months ago ahead of the car's expected launch in 2021, Dyson said in a memo shared with media that "the patents show a car with very large wheels, giving a low rolling resistance and high ground clearance. "This makes a vehicle suited to city life and rough terrain but could also contribute to increased range and efficiency," he said, while cautioning that current designs are far from set in stone.

BYD's sales up 123% in Jan-April period

BYD, China's leading new energy vehicle manufacturer, reported a year-on-year growth of 123.1 percent in NEV sales in the first four months of the year as the market boom continued. In a filing to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange Friday, BYD said it sold 97,183 NEVs in the January-April period, compared to 43,555 units a year earlier. The strong growth was primarily fueled by the sales surge in pure electric passenger vehicles, soaring 461.5 percent to 61,603 units. In April alone, its NEV sales jumped 72.5 percent to 24,011 units. Sales of its gasoline-powered vehicles in the four-month period declined 44.9 percent to 58,234 units, with sales in April falling 41 percent to 13,828 units, it said.

Motoring - Agencies

(China Daily 05/13/2019 page19)