China Automobile Industry, Technology (NEV, Driverless, etc): News & Images

[cirr]

NEVs will help put vehicle industry on the fast track

2017-12-05 11:30 China Daily Editor: Wang Zihao

Guangzhou Automobile Group Co and Tencent jointly released the iSPACE electric concept car in Guangzhou, Guangdong province last month. (Photo by Wang Hua/For China Daily)

The development of intelligent connected and new energy vehicles will become a major business growth driver for the Guangzhou Automobile Group Co, a major automaker based in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, according to a senior company executive.

In the years ahead, the global auto industry will be focused on "intelligent driving and energy saving", said Feng Xingya, president of GAC Group.

In a major effort to boost those lines of business, the GAC Group reached a cooperative agreement with the internet technology giant Tencent Holdings Ltd early in September.

In mid-November, the two companies jointly launched an in-car intelligent network terminal product, which will be installed in GAC's various models in the near future.

"Internet-based vehicles will become a major force in the automobile market," Feng said.

"We will make use of advantages in cloud computing, artificial intelligence and big data processing to help develop intelligent connected vehicles."

Based on the terminal product, which will go into mass production by 2018, GAC's cars will be smart in voice interaction, intelligent driving and personalized performance, Feng said.

The terminal product was based on GAC's self-innovated intelligent network platform and Tencent's vehicle-connected AI In Car system, which is an integration of safety, big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence.

According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China has become the world's largest market for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, with about 490, 000 electric vehicles sold in the first 10 months of 2017.

In July, the GAC Group also set up a subsidiary company, the GAC New Energy Co, after it started construction of an industrial park focusing on development of new energy and intelligent vehicles in April.

The park, with an investment of more than 45 billion yuan ($6.78 billion), is located in the Hualong township of Guangzhou's Panyu district.

The park will help integrate resources of cutting-edge technologies of intelligent connected and new energy vehicles, aiming to develop into an ecological automobile township focusing on innovation and intelligent manufacturing, according to Gu Huinan, general manager of GAC New Energy Co.

"Development of new energy cars will help tackle the problems of environmental pollution and energy shortage," Gu said.

The booming information technology and artificial intelligence sectors, especially, have helped lay a solid foundation for the developing trends of producing cars with more electrification, intelligence, internet-based connection and sharing services, according to Gu.

The company also released the iSPACE electric concept car and its fully electric SUV model GE3 during the Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition, which concluded on Nov 26.

The concept car is equipped with Tencent's AI in Car system, allowing drivers better interactions with the vehicles.

According to Gu, the company will release a new vehicle capable of unmanned driving by 2019.

"Sales of fully electric vehicles will dramatically increase within the next five years," said Gu, adding that the company will develop more than 20 varieties of new energy cars by 2020.

The production and sale of new energy vehicles will account for more than 10 percent of the company's total by 2020, according to the company.

GAC Group produced and sold about 1.65 million vehicles in the first 10 months of this year, an increase of about 26 percent year-on-year, according to the company.

http://www.ecns.cn/2017/12-05/283253.shtml

 

[JSCh]

London taxis go green! China-made electric black cab unveiled
By Kate Parkinson

2017-12-06 20:48 GMT+8
Updated 2017-12-06 22:19 GMT+8

London’s black cabs are iconic. Around the world, the Hackney carriage is an instantly recognizable symbol of the UK capital.

As I race around London for work, hopping in and out of the famous black taxis is certainly one of the nicest ways to get around.

But it is a bit a guilty pleasure because they’re not good for the environment, and like most major cities around the world, London has a big problem with pollution.

CGTN reporter Kate Parkinson inside the new electric cab. /CGTN Photo

My taxi trips will soon be guilt-free though because the black cab has gone green – brand new electric taxis are now picking up passengers on the streets of London.

On first glance, the electric cabs look the same as their diesel-powered predecessors but that’s where the similarities end. The taxis have been completely redesigned by Chinese automaker Geely.

One of the nicest new additions is the panoramic sunroof which gives a unique perspective on London’s famous landmarks.

The wifi is a welcome addition as well, as is the USB charging port for your smartphone and the full-size power socket if you need to work on your laptop.

The new cab can run 125 kilometers on a single battery charge. For longer journeys, there is a gasoline engine which extends its range to nearly 650 kilometers.

The new cab can run 125 kilometers on a single battery charge. /CGTN Photo

Cabbies who’ve been testing the vehicles say they are much nicer to drive, but the price could put some drivers off.

Costing 55,599 pounds (74,418 US dollars), the electric cab is almost 10,000 pounds (13,384 US dollars) more expensive than the newest diesel equivalent. But any cabbies looking to upgrade next year will have to cough up the cash.

From January 1, 2018, Transport for London will only be issuing licenses to taxis with zero emissions capability, effectively starting the phase-out of diesel cabs from the capital.

Having gone green, the black cab could next be going global as other cities follow in London’s footsteps.

Amsterdam has already ordered 225 of the new electric taxis and Geely says the new cabs could be seen in cities across China as well.

 

[JSCh]

China's BYD to build car factory in Morocco
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-10 04:17:32|Editor: yan



RABAT, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Morocco and Chinese BYD electric vehicle maker signed on Saturday an agreement to open a factory in Morocco to build battery-powered cars.

The agreement was inked in Casablanca by BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu, Morocco's Minister for Industry and Investment Moulay Hafid El Alamy, and Financial Minister Mohamed Boussaid.

The factory will be built in the new Mohamed VI Tangier Tech City, as part of a project between China and Morocco to create a large-scale industrial hub in the northern city of Tangier.

The plant will cover an area of 50 hectares, and is expected to employ 2,500 people.

Founded in 1995, BYD currently has nearly 220,000 employees and 30 industrial parks around the world with an area of more than 18 million square meters.

 

[JSCh]

Government, industry and the Internet: Chinese EV start-up reveals 'world champion' model

By Gong Zhe
2017-12-11 18:32 GMT+8
Updated 2017-12-11 22:04 GMT+8

Weltmeister (WM), a Chinese start-up making electric vehicles (EV), announced its first mass production model on Monday.

The company held an event in Shanghai with a revamped brand appearance to demonstrate the new EX5 SUV.

The previous Weltmeister logo (L) and the new one (R) /WM Photo‍

But it didn't mention much about the car itself. Instead the company leaders stressed how different they are from competitors.

Car-makers and buyers are interested in WM because it's created by an industry insider, instead of newly-found Internet companies.

WM's leader Freeman Shen was previously head of Volvo operations in China. And he expressed his ambition goal of providing an affordable and futuristic driving experience to all average Chinese families.

PowerPoint car-making?

China's tech world has already been bored by startups claiming to build the best EV. There's even a meme "PowerPoint car-making" to mock the empty promises given by some companies at the press release.

The event hosts make fun of PowerPoint car-making. /Screenshot from WM

One well-known example is LeEco, a video cloud service that's trying to build EVs. The firm is now struggling to find investors and its CEO, Jia Yueting, has not been in his homeland for months.

"Weltmeister" is a German word meaning "world master" or world champion. The company said the name shows its ambition to be the best carmaker on our globe.

In his speech at the event, Shen elaborated on why his company is nothing like a fund-raising scandal.

Industry fights back

Weltmeister founder Freeman Shen speaks at EX5 launch event in Shanghai, December 11. /Screenshot from WM

"I hope WM can be a demonstration of China's industrial power," Shen told the audience at the event.

Some managers at WM are veterans in China's auto industry, who previously worked for the Chinese branch of Toyota, Geely and more.

"They came to WM because they want to jump out of the conventions and create something new," Shen said.

"I see 2018 as the year that the Chinese car-makers fight back at the western brands."

The company is currently building its factory in the city of in east China's Zhejiang Province.

With policies in mind

Another reason Shen chose 2018 to be big year is because of government support.

China is encouraging car-makers to go electric like never before.

Last month, the traffic ministry authorized more cities to issue the special green car plates to new energy vehicles, which is a clear sign that more support is coming.

Baidu's COO Lu Qi showed up at the event. As the "AI national team" member appointed by the Chinese government to work on self-driving cars, Baidu has reached cooperation with WM.

Targeting Internet audience

It's clear that WM wants to catch the attention of online buyers.

The event was filled with online memes. Even the sponsors were introduced in a very informal manner: appearing on the screen like a string of "danmaku" (on-video comments).

But some memes were mistakenly used during the show, confusing audiences around the stage at various moments.

Shen talks about affordable coolness during his speech. /Screenshot from WM

The event invited American Idol singer Jax to sing Ellie Goulding's "Love Me Like You Do" while revealing the new car.

The song is famous to China's young listeners, although the film "Fifty Shades of Grey" was never aired in Chinese mainland.

Jax's performance was not among her best, but she did convey WM's message that the car can be loved like the consumers do.

Pre-orders for the car will be available in next April at a Beijing car expo.

 

[cirr]

Government, industry and the Internet: Chinese EV start-up reveals 'world champion' model

By Gong Zhe
2017-12-11 18:32 GMT+8
Updated 2017-12-11 22:04 GMT+8

Weltmeister (WM), a Chinese start-up making electric vehicles (EV), announced its first mass production model on Monday.

The company held an event in Shanghai with a revamped brand appearance to demonstrate the new EX5 SUV.

The previous Weltmeister logo (L) and the new one (R) /WM Photo‍

But it didn't mention much about the car itself. Instead the company leaders stressed how different they are from competitors.

Car-makers and buyers are interested in WM because it's created by an industry insider, instead of newly-found Internet companies.

WM's leader Freeman Shen was previously head of Volvo operations in China. And he expressed his ambition goal of providing an affordable and futuristic driving experience to all average Chinese families.

PowerPoint car-making?

China's tech world has already been bored by startups claiming to build the best EV. There's even a meme "PowerPoint car-making" to mock the empty promises given by some companies at the press release.

The event hosts make fun of PowerPoint car-making. /Screenshot from WM

One well-known example is LeEco, a video cloud service that's trying to build EVs. The firm is now struggling to find investors and its CEO, Jia Yueting, has not been in his homeland for months.

"Weltmeister" is a German word meaning "world master" or world champion. The company said the name shows its ambition to be the best carmaker on our globe.

In his speech at the event, Shen elaborated on why his company is nothing like a fund-raising scandal.

Industry fights back

Weltmeister founder Freeman Shen speaks at EX5 launch event in Shanghai, December 11. /Screenshot from WM

"I hope WM can be a demonstration of China's industrial power," Shen told the audience at the event.

Some managers at WM are veterans in China's auto industry, who previously worked for the Chinese branch of Toyota, Geely and more.

"They came to WM because they want to jump out of the conventions and create something new," Shen said.

"I see 2018 as the year that the Chinese car-makers fight back at the western brands."

The company is currently building its factory in the city of in east China's Zhejiang Province.

With policies in mind

Another reason Shen chose 2018 to be big year is because of government support.

China is encouraging car-makers to go electric like never before.

Last month, the traffic ministry authorized more cities to issue the special green car plates to new energy vehicles, which is a clear sign that more support is coming.

Baidu's COO Lu Qi showed up at the event. As the "AI national team" member appointed by the Chinese government to work on self-driving cars, Baidu has reached cooperation with WM.

Targeting Internet audience

It's clear that WM wants to catch the attention of online buyers.

The event was filled with online memes. Even the sponsors were introduced in a very informal manner: appearing on the screen like a string of "danmaku" (on-video comments).

But some memes were mistakenly used during the show, confusing audiences around the stage at various moments.

Shen talks about affordable coolness during his speech. /Screenshot from WM

The event invited American Idol singer Jax to sing Ellie Goulding's "Love Me Like You Do" while revealing the new car.

The song is famous to China's young listeners, although the film "Fifty Shades of Grey" was never aired in Chinese mainland.

Jax's performance was not among her best, but she did convey WM's message that the car can be loved like the consumers do.

Pre-orders for the car will be available in next April at a Beijing car expo.

 

[TaiShang]

Dec 11, 2017

Alibaba Will Make Car Software, Not Cars
By Zhang Erchi and Mo Yelin

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. has announced that it wants its AliOS software for automobiles to eventually be open source. Above, Alibaba demonstrates AliOS at its cloud conference in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Oct. 11. Photo: IC

E-commerce behemoth Alibaba has proclaimed its lack of interest in producing cars and said it will focus instead on software for vehicles.

“The trend of future automobiles will be an integration of software and hardware, but that doesn’t mean it should be done by one company,” Hu Xiaoming, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.’s senior vice president, said on Friday. “We will respect traditional automakers and have given up on the idea of getting involved in actual car production.”

Alibaba’s decision to focus on an operating system was hinted at in September when it unveiled AliOS, a rebranded and upgraded version of its original YunOS operating system.

Hu has said that his company ultimately wants to make AliOS open source and provide it to customers across all industries and professions.

Alibaba signed an agreement with Ford Motor Co. last week in which the pair agreed to explore the possibility of models under the carmaker’s Ford and Lincoln marques using AliOS in China.

In October, Alibaba said it plans to release AliOS-enabled cars with strategic partner Banma Network Technology — a joint venture between Alibaba and SAIC Motor Corp., China’s largest automaker — and Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile Co., starting in 2018.

Alibaba’s moves come at a time when the country’s internet giants, including Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Baidu Inc., have all rushed into the auto industry. Baidu has its own in-car system, CarNet, which provides location-based services through Baidu Maps. And Tencent has its hardware product, Lubao Box, which can offer real-time maintenance and safety information.

In April, as part of Baidu’s shift from making autonomous cars to developing driverless artificial intelligence technology, the company launched its Apollo open-source software platform for the autonomous-car industry.

However, it is still not clear whether AliOS will be successful and widely accepted, as most of the automakers who are currently interested in cooperation with Alibaba are relatively weak players and facing setbacks in China.

For example, Ford is still playing catch-up in the country compared with its more-established foreign rivals like General Motors Co. and Volkswagen AG. From January through October 2017, Ford’s car sales were down 5% from the same period in 2016.

Other automakers, like General Motors Co. and Honda Motor Co. Ltd., have their own operating systems and have shown no interest in a software cooperation with Alibaba.

https://www.caixinglobal.com/2017-12-11/alibaba-will-make-car-software-not-cars-101183708.html

 

[cirr]

Tech giants hike auto holdings

2017-12-14 09:11 China Daily Editor: Huang Mingrui

China's technology titans are waging war on yet another front: automobiles.

An investment subsidiary of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd has acquired a holding of around 10 percent in Xiaopeng Motors, a Guangzhou-based new energy car startup, marking the latest entry into a crowded field that could become a $42 billion industry.

The parent of Xiaopeng has completed the transaction with Alibaba, according to Qichacha, a data bank that tracks business registration information in China, with no amount disclosed.

Founded three years ago, Xiaopeng is chaired by former Alibaba executive and UCWeb founder He Xiaopeng, with additional investment coming from luminaries in the tech domain and venture capital firms.

To build internet-connected cars, Xiaopeng has recruited core employees from major automakers like Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd, BYD Co Ltd and Ford Motor Co, as well as from tech companies such as Samsung and Huawei, according to the company website.

Xiaopeng claimed that its first batch of prototype electric SUVs will feature intelligent driving, self-parking, and mobile phone-enabled remote control functions.

The move came amid a string of deals signed between the tech giant and automakers, as evidenced by its recent partnership with Ford to co-develop smart vehicles.

That would pit it squarely against Tencent Holdings Ltd and Baidu Inc, both of which have invested billions of dollars in artificial intelligence, driving research and grooming EV startups including Nio and Weltmeister.

Even smartphone maker Xiaomi Corp is considering selling "all types of vehicles for transport, conveyance, and other transport equipment", according to a company filing to the Indian government.

The increasingly ubiquitous tech-auto tie-up would help satisfy Chinese users' big appetite for in-car connectivity features, according to experts.

Around 64 percent of Chinese consumers polled by consultancy McKinsey said they are willing to switch brands for better in-car connectivity functions. That contrasts with 37 percent in the United States and 19 percent in Germany.

"In China, connectivity such as synchronization between phone apps and car services…is a must-have feature, and people are more willing to pay subscriptions for content (on digital platforms) than customers elsewhere," said Wouter Baan, associate partner at McKinsey's Beijing office.

Electric cars are set to become an increasingly lucrative investment target, thanks in part to global and national initiatives to lower emissions and put cleaner vehicles on the road.

http://www.ecns.cn/business/2017/12-14/284395.shtml

 

[JSCh]

Red Flag opens pre-sales for customizable L5
By Liu Yukun and Cheng Yu | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2017-12-14 10:13

Red Flag launches its customizable L5 series on Dec 11, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] ​

China's top luxury car brand, Red Flag (also known as Hongqi), launched pre-sales for its customizable L5 series Dec 11, becoming China's first luxury car brand to offer personalized services.

Compared with the original L5 series, the new edition provides buyers with nearly 50 types of customized services. The service will be limited to 100 cars, with each costing over 6 million yuan ($906,000).

Produced by FAW Car Co Ltd, Red Flag has been covering multiple lines of limousines, cars mainly serving as transportation for high-ranking officials and foreign visitors. This new line announces a transition from serving only officials to serving citizens.

The series' design was inspired by the previous Hongqi CA770 and CA7600J, which were used in National Day parades in 1965 and 2009, respectively. The series was considered a work of art with an exterior decorated with jade and interior with rosewood and cream-white leather.

Notably, the design features Chinese culture, with the golden sunflower logo in the middle of the steering wheel symbolizing long life and good luck.

This heritage-laced design is blended with new technologies, including an infotainment system installed with screens on seat backs, which aims to create a more entertaining experience for passengers.

The series also adopts a wheelbase of 3.4 meters. The output is 408 horsepower and 550 Newton-meters. Although it does not specify maximum speed and acceleration, it has a six-speed automatic transmission which produces more power with less fuel consumption.

The brand was first introduced at the National Day parade in October 1959, with 10 CA72 Red Flag cars being showcased. The CA72 was modeled on a Chrysler limousine with technological help from Soviet experts.

Seen as a symbol of the country's industrial progress, the brand has become the car of choice for National Day parades ever since.

It also serves as transport for state visits by foreign officials. Take the L5 series as an example. It first debuted in 2013, when former French President Francois Hollande took a ride on his official state visit.

 

[JSCh]

Geely to take stake in Daimler: CCTV
Source:Global Times Published: 2017/12/14 21:53:39

Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Automobile Holdings plans to take a stake in its German counterpart Daimler AG, State broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Wednesday.

CCTV reported that Zhejiang Geely will invest nearly 4 billion euros ($4.73 billion) to acquire a 3 percent to 5 percent stake in Daimler. That would make Zhejiang Geely the third-largest shareholder of Daimler, the report said.

Daimler reportedly rejected last month a proposal from Zhejiang Geely to buy a 5 percent stake in the German auto group based on the issue of new shares at a discount, Reuters reported on Thursday.

But Daimler told Zhejiang Geely that it was welcome to buy shares in the open market, according to the Reuters report, which cited unnamed sources.

Aiming at the global market, Zhejiang Geely has been eyeing stakes in foreign carmakers. In 2010, it took over Swedish carmaker Volvo.

 

[TaiShang]

Dec 18, 2017 07:27 PM

Startup Nio to Launch Its First Electric Car for China
By Xiao Ying and Mo Yelin

The Nio ES8 electric SUV (above) is expected to hit the Chinese market in the first half of 2018, the company announced. Photo: Visual China

Electric vehicle startup Nio plans to offer customers its first model within months, offering it at a price far below that of Tesla Inc.’s comparable model.

The launch could put pressure on Tesla in the world’s largest electric vehicle market because the U.S. company isn’t expected to manufacture its Model X into China until 2020, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said recently.

The seven-seat Nio ES8 — which boasts a 70 kilowatt-hour battery pack that allows a driving range of 355 kilometers (221 miles) — will cost 448,000 yuan ($67,800), compared with 836,000 yuan for Tesla’s Model X. The ES8 is expected to hit the market in the first half of 2018.

Nio took in 1.1 billion yuan in its fifth and latest round of fundraising, according to people familiar with the matter. The automaker counts Tencent Holdings Ltd., Baidu Inc., e-commerce retailer JD.com Inc. and venture capital firms Hillhouse Capital Group and Sequoia Capital China among its investors.

Nio, founded three years ago by internet entrepreneur William Li, is among a group of startups that have taken advantage of central government incentives, including subsidies, for the electric car industry.

China now boasts the world’s largest electric vehicle market. More than 500,000 electric vehicles were sold in China last year, accounting for half of global output. Still, few electric vehicle models are suited to consumer tastes, leaving room for startups to launch new models.

WM Motor Technology Co. Ltd. unveiled its first model — a purely electric SUV — last week after completing a new round of fundraising from a group led by Baidu.

In October, China’s Ministry of Commerce confirmed that Tesla was negotiating with the Shanghai government to build a production facility in the country after reports surfaced that Tesla and the Shanghai government reached a deal to establish a wholly owned electric-vehicle factory in the city’s free trade zone.

Unlike Tesla, Nio has adopted a battery swap system, which will enable owners to swap their vehicles’ battery packs for fully charged packs in about three minutes at stations around the country. Nio plans to set up 1,100 such power-swap stations by 2020.

The company also plans to offer mobile charging services through what it calls “power mobile” vans equipped with battery packs and onboard chargers.

However, it is still unclear whether the business model will work, given the lack of infrastructure. For charging facilities to be as prevalent as gasoline stations in China, 100,000 charging facilities are needed, requiring an investment of up to hundreds of billions of yuan, according to data provider bosidata.com.

https://www.caixinglobal.com/2017-1...s-first-electric-car-for-china-101186601.html

 

[cirr]

China-made fog radar to help drivers avoid crashes

2017-12-20 23:09 Xinhua Editor: Wang Fan

A Chinese company has partnered with a research institute to develop fog radar to be used on expressways to improve warning systems.

While fog can be forecast by weather bureaus, there are blind zones in fog where the density is high and visibility is further reduced. The new device will be able to tell how far a vehicle is from such blind zones and warn the driver on the spot.

Its developers -- Anhui Zhongkai Information Industry Co. Ltd. and Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of Chinese Academy of Sciences -- said the margin of error is now under 7.5 meters, and they plan to mass produce the radar next year.

Drivers will be notified about fog by electronic warning boards on expressways or through messages sent to their mobile phones.

Heavy fog is a cause of serious road accidents worldwide. In China, more than 2,500 expressway sections each reported at least three occurrences of heavy fog on average last year, according to government figures.

The province of Anhui, where the radar's developers are based, is frequently hit by fog. In a recent accident, 18 people were killed after a massive pile-up of 30 vehicles at a section of expressway shrouded by heavy fog.

China has fog forecast radar, but its use is largely restricted to scientific research because of its high costs.

"The new radar can do a better job and is much cheaper to make," said Zhou Jian, with the Anhui company.

Zhou said the device is in final testing. The first devices will be used in Anhui.

http://www.ecns.cn/2017/12-20/285255.shtml

 

[cirr]

London Electric Vehicle Company Taxis To Be Exported To Norway

December 21st, 2017 by James Ayre

The new extended-range electric taxi model being made by the London Electric Vehicle Company will be exported to various parties in Norway beginning in 2018, the company has revealed.

These exports will follow on the earlier agreement for the London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) to supply the electric taxis to an elderly-and-disabled-persons transportation service in Amsterdam (Netherlands). That deployment in the Netherlands will see 225 of the plug-in electric and iconic black cabs put into service, initially at least.



As a reminder here, the Geely-owned firm LEVC is currently working to increase production figures, with the plan being for around 5,000 or so of the electric taxis to be sold internationally by 2020. In this case, “internationally” refers to sales outside of the UK — despite the fact that the company is actually now owned by a China-based investment unit.

Reuters provides more: “LEVC is boosting its volumes as part of a plan which will see it sell roughly half of around 10,000 vehicles abroad by the turn of the decade, including a new van. It opened a new factory in central England in March, as part of a turnaround for the company which was saved from bankruptcy nearly 5 years ago by Geely.

“Norway has the world’s highest rate of battery-vehicle ownership, thanks to generous tax breaks, with taxi firms seeking to electrify their fleets. The Oslo-based firm Autoindustri will begin receiving deliveries of the model in the first quarter of 2018, LEVC said on Thursday.”

“There are huge opportunities ahead for the business in Norway and we are looking forward to working with Autoindustri to make them a reality,” commented LEVC CEO Chris Gubbey.

Saying that there are huge opportunities for plug-in electric sellers in Norway is actually probably a bit of an understatement — based on the refusal of many major auto manufacturers to releases competitive models suited towards use as taxis, LEVC potentially has the market to itself for the next few years.

https://cleantechnica.com/2017/12/21/london-electric-vehicle-company-taxis-exported-norway/

 

[TaiShang]

Looks like BYD is out for a "killing the competition" carnage.




***

This Is The New BYD Tang SUV For China

PUBLISHED ON DECEMBER 22, 2017



BYD Tang is a 500 hp super heavy hybrid

This is the brand new BYD Tang, looking super sharp with a big black beak and mirrors that look like a weapon. The new Tang will hit the China car market in April next year.




The photo, taken at the BYD factory in Guangdong, also shows a camouflaged car. It seems larger than the Tang, likely a new seven-seat SUV.



The Tang will come in two flavors: plug-in hybrid and petrol.

Somewhat disappointingly the plug-in hybrid drive train of the new Tang appears to be exactly the same as of the old Tang: a 205 hp 2.0 turbo plus two electric motors of 150 hp each, good for a combined output of 505 horsepower.

The badges on the PHEV indicate it will do 0-100 in 4.9 seconds, again the same as the old car. However, in a press release BYD stated that the new Tang will go from zero to hundred in 4.5 seconds. More on that as we get it. Top speed is 180 km/h.

The petrol version gets the 205 hp 2.0 turbo.

Size: 4870/1950/1725, and wheelbase is 1725. Curb weight PHEV: 2390. Curb weight petrol: 1890. That is a massive 500 kilo difference. I had to check the numbers twice, but it checks out. Fully loaded (with fuel, fluids): 2995 for the PHEV and 2415 for the petrol, a difference of 580 kilo!

But even though it is so much heavier it is still massively more fuel efficient: BYD claims a fuel consumption 2 liter per 100 kilometer for the PHEV and 8.8 liter per 100 kilometer for the petrol.



There is a new badge on the back, spelling out the meaning of BYD in full: Build Your Dreams.






This is the petrol version. It is quite different from the PHEV. It has another front bumper and it has a completely different C-D pillar.



PHEV on the left, petrol on the right.



No big differences at the rear. Exhaust pipes are invisible on both versions.

 

[TaiShang]

2018 BYD Tang hybrid crossover makes early reveal

Brent Co / BYD | December 25, 2017 11:53

BYD Tang goes official ahead of Beijing Auto Show debut
first-generation Tang.

The new Tang is one of several original designs from the Chinese automaker by German design director Wolfgang Egger. It is based on the Dynasty Concept debuted at this year's Shanghai Auto Show. BYD says the new vehicle was styled with their new 'Dragon Face' design concept which consists of a large radiator grill flanked by slim LED headlamps. Design-wise the new-generation Tang does not depart much from the design concept, giving it a significanty more upscale look compared to its outgoing predecessor.

It measures 4870 mm long, 1940 mm wide, and 1720 mm tall with a 2820 mm wheelbase. The side profile might remind you the Lexus RX, but Egger seems to have tweaked the d pillar in a better way to create a sleeker floating roof effect. BYD has fitted the Tang with 22-inch wheels with 265/40R22 Continental tires.

Interior photos have yet to be revealed, the Tang will be a three-row SUV with seating for seven. It is also expected to come with a high-tech interior features that were revealed with the Song MPV models.

It is worth noting that the Chinese automaker has finally decided to ditch the rather tacky lit rear BYD logo in favor of a new 'Build Your Dreams'. We'll reserve our opinion on that until we see the actual product, but we expect it to be lit as well. The sleek tail lights are LED illuminated and nice finish.

Powering the second-generation Tang is a hybrid powerplant consisting of a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine (205 PS, 320 Nm) with two electric motors (147.5 PS, 250 Nm; each) giving it a 500 PS and 820 Nm total output. This is mated to a 6-speed dual clutch automatic transmission which transfers power to the all-wheel drive system. It also comes with 18 kW/h batteries allowing up to 85 kilometers range in full electric mode. It also boasts of a 0-100 km/h acceleration time in 4.5 seconds. BYD says premium versions will also be fitted with Brembo brakes.

Non-hybrid front-wheel drive versions will be offered in the future, this is expected to replace the S7 (currently offered in the Philippine market). It will be fitted with the 2.0-liter turbo coupled with a 6-speed DCT.

Hybrid models are expected to retail for RMB 270,000 to RMB 300,000; while gas engine versions will likely retail from RMB 150,000.

With the ASEAN-China FTA taking effect next year, as well as lowered excise taxes for hybrid cars, we are expecting BYD to bring in the stylish new Tang to compete in the local crossover market.

https://www.autoindustriya.com/auto...tang-hybrid-crossover-makes-early-reveal.html

 

[JSCh]

GAC, NIO form JV to collaborate on NEVs
Hu Yumo 02:36 UTC+8, 2017-12-29

Guangzhou Automobile Group Co (GAC) and Shanghai-based electric carmaker NIO will set up a joint venture to collaborate on intelligent cars and new-energy vehicles.

The two companies yesterday signed an agreement for the joint venture which will have a registered capital of 500 million yuan (US$76.5 million). The venture will focus on research and development of smart and new-energy vehicles, according to a statement from GAC.

GAC and NIO each own 45 percent of the joint venture. The management team of the new company will take the remaining 10 percent, the two partners said.

“We believe the joint venture will fully tap advantages of both sides, as NIO has deep research capability in the field of Internet and GAC has advantages in traditional automotive industry and vehicle manufacturing industry chain,” said Feng Xingya, general manager of GAC.

William Li, founder and chairman of NIO, said: “In future, we will further cooperate with each other on sharing of technology, research and development resources, supply chain and manufacturing resources. Both parties will also share resources to enter global markets and infrastructural facilities of electric vehicles.”

The new company will not be involved in manufacturing. A factory, set up by GAC in Guangzhou, will be completed by the end of next year and will make new-energy vehicles developed by the joint venture.

According to the statement, the two companies also intend to collaborate on car sharing and car leasing business in future and to cooperate in auto parts.