Development and Analysis of China Light Trucks in Jan. to June 2011 Ⅱ

www.chinatrucks.com: Part Three: Light trucks heads to mini vans

In 2007, Beiqi Foton developed Shidai Yuling diesel engine mini van. And Foton released petrol engine new truck models in 2010, and Shidai Yuling is equipped with 465 and 474 engines with or without independent suspension. Currently Foton mini vans are composed of diesel engine and petrol engine edition. And there are over twenty models and the sales volumes amounted to 100,000 units in the first season.
 
In June 2010, Jinbei petrol mini truck, Jinyu, released, which is developed based on original diesel truck. The truck is adopted with G4AC engine with national 4 emission standard as well as SABS brake adjustment system.

FAW Jiefang 501 light truck

Light trucks are transferring to mini vans, and annual sales of mini vans are 600,000 units with 16% market shares among vans. And the van-like light trucks have smaller vehicle body and powerful engine. And its price is also competitive with large mini vans, and the vehicles can also be refitted to special vehicles for city use.

There are both petrol and diesel engine van-like light trucks, and some of them are equipped with national 4 engines and even OBD and SABS system.

Although market potential for van-like light trucks is huge, the profits are rather small.

D、Light truck engine development

With light truck development towards high-end models and engine are heading to advanced, and light truck manufacturers are planning to develop high-end light-duty engines.

Currently domestic diesel light trucks are always medium and low-end 485, 490 diesel engine which can be made by many manufacturers. The profits for these trucks are getting less. Currently only JMC, Qingling, Foton, NAVECO can produce their own diesel engines, and the high-end diesel engines used on light trucks are few.

Dongfeng Furui light truck

And China diesel engine used on light trucks can be divided to three categories: inherited with European and Japanese brands, such as JMC, NAVECO and Dongfeng Chaochai; the second is diesel engines with proprietary brand, such as Yunnei Power, Anhui Quanchai, Beiqi Foton, Yuchai, FAW Xichai etc.; the third are joint-venture, like Deutz FAW Dachai and Foton Cummins.

Engine makers are improving their products as nearing national 4 emission standards which is due to be carries out Jan. 1, 2012.

1. Yuchai YC4F engine is co-developed with German FEV and Japan YAMAHA. The national 3 engine adopts Delphi electronic control Common Rail technology and low eddy firebox etc. technologies. And the engine can be updated to national 4 emission standard.

2. JAC starts to cooperate with Navistar and NC2GlobalLLC, a joint venture of Caterpillar. And JAC and NC2GlobalLLC will invest 1.8 bn RMB to forge engine plant to produce 180,000 light engines annually. JAC N721 adopts SPRINT 3.0L and ACTEON 4.8L engines which were designed by Navistar and JAC.

Dongfeng Kangba truck

3. Fiat F1C diesel engine is used in NAVECO Yuejin Ouka, and the engine adopts turbo charging cooling system, four valves, DRDi mechanical injection.

4. Beiqi Foton introduced Cummins ISF 2.8L and 3.8L four cylinders Direct injection gasoline engine which can meet Euro 6 emission standard. The engine will be produced in 2013, and Foton Aumark, MP-X will adopt the engine firstly.

5. Weichai Power introduced Italian VM engine with more than ten cylinders and displacement between 2.9L to 3.8L.
 
6. JMC Kaiyue is equipped with ISUZU electronic control 4JB1-TDCi engine with national 3 emission standard; and JMC Kaiwei adopts ISUZU 4H engine and JMC 4D engine with 156 kW; JMC Shunda adopts ISUZU electronic control 4JB1 engine with national 3 emission standard.

7. Chaochai CY4102-C3 diesel engine is co-developed by Chaochai and Austrian AVL Company. Authorized by Navistar International, Dongfeng Chaochai starts to produce NGD 3.0L diesel engine. The 3.0L orthostichous four-cylinder turbine diesel engine adopts piezoelectric type electronic CRDi engine.