Auto firms show off latest NEV offerings at Shanghai auto show
A model poses in the booth of a NEV brand during the auto show.
Car vendors and parts suppliers, expanding into the booming new energy vehicle (NEV) segment in China, are unveiling a slew of new offerings at the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition.
NEVs are bucking the slump in China's auto market and international firms are increasingly focusing on the country, which aims to be the global leader in NEVs.
During the ongoing auto show, firms have released new models and announced expansion plans for China.
China's SAIC MAXUS Automotive Co, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SAIC Motor Corp, launched its new MPV G20 flagship model and showcased its latest vehicle fuel cell technology as it expands its passenger vehicle business and embraces the global shift to clean technology.
Based on the G20, the MPV G20FC is the first domestic passenger vehicle to use hydrogen fuel cells, which offers extra-long range, fast fuel filling and emits only clean water.
The G20FC's high-pressure hydrogen storage tank delivers hydrogen into the fuel cell where the hydrogen and oxygen react with the cathode and anode in the stack to supply power to the battery and the electric drive system.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are seen as being one of the key directions for developing NEVs.
NEV sales in China are soaring as the overall market falls, surging 85.4 percent year on year in March, compared with a 6.9 percent decrease in total sales.
UK-based Bentley expects to offer an electric version of all its product lines by 2025, including new fully electric models, said Chris Cole, director of Bentley Product Line.
US auto parts maker Dana Inc, whose clients include Tesla and SAIC Roewe, announced it had already opened five new facilities in China this year, largely targeting electric vehicle companies: one each in Shanghai, Changsha and Baoding and two in Suzhou.
Dana’s footprint in China now encompasses more than 6,750 employees at 23 operations.
Dana has been operating in China for more than 25 years. Antonio Valencia, President of Dana China and Oceania, said the company will continue to invest in expanding its capabilities in China for “commitment to electrification and hybridization.”
Matthias Zink, CEO of Automotive OEM at Schaeffler, expects pure electric cars will make up 30 percent of annual auto production by 2030, while 40 percent will be hybrids and the rest combustion engines.
US auto parts maker Dana Inc, whose clients include Tesla and SAIC Roewe, announced it had already opened five new facilities in China this year, largely targeting electric vehicle companies: one each in Shanghai, Changsha and Baoding and two in Suzhou.
