Changan To Mass Produce Hybrid Vehicles in China Next Year

SHANGHAI - October 17, 2007:

The Chongqing based Changan Automobile will deliver 10 hybrid vehicles to Beijing Olympic Games next year, Xu Liuping, the president of Changan Automobile said earlier this week.

"The means Changan automobile will start mass production of hybrid vehicles next year," Xu told Chinese media.

The hybrid vehicles to be made by Changan will cut energy consumption by 16-20 percent and emissions by 20 percent, Xu said.

The first hybrid vehicle in China was Toyota Prius, which started production in Changchun-based FAW-Toyota by the end of 2005. But the sales of this hybrid vehicle are abysmally small.

In the first nine months this year, Toyota Prius sold only 283 units in China. Experts say disappointing sales of Toyota Prius is because of its prices. It is too expensive and China has not yet offered substantial policy incentives to its manufacturers and customers.

For more information about the burgeoning auto industry in China please visit http://www.gasgoo.com/Autobiz/list/7/China-News.html