Chang’an is the first manufacturer in China to make a hybrid vehicle, and the first of its cars to get the hybrid treatment is the Jie Xun mini station wagon
The HEV will see use within the Beijing 2008 Olympic games for official use, actual specs on the HEV are still under wraps, but we are told that the HEV is able to save up to 20% fuel over a regular gasoline engine.
Will the records show that Chang’an was truly the first domestic manufacturer to bring a hybrid to market?
The government-mandated 863 Plan has prompted major domestic manufacturers to produce hybrid (and other alternate energy-powered) vehicles. As a result many Chinese makers are working hard at it. Back as far as the short-lived SAIC-Chery partnership, joint trial hybrids were under testing. SAIC continues with its Roewe hybrid, and Chery continues with its A51SG hybrid, and others. Even Geely Maple has gotten Tongji University on board to help it develop one, and Brilliance showed a hybrid version of the Zunchi (BS6) at Beijing last year. BYD has a Flyer hybrid as well as the F6DM seen here recently. Then there’s Tianjin Qingyuan, the maker of the Happy Messenger (ZX40), which has also been hard at work on hybrids.
Finally, to rival the Jiexun, it was recently reported in the China Daily that Shanghai Volkswagen will provide 500 HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicles) for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
So it’s anyone’s guess who will be first, but if its Chang’an I wouldn’t be surprised, as they have already shown that they are bold pioneers.
I made a translation mistake, the first Chang’an HEV rolled off the lines today!