| 29-04-2008
To compete against large international rivals in the Chinese auto market, China’s engine makers are working hard to introduce and upgrade production technology to make up for their own immature engine-development capabilities.
Local manufacturers have become increasingly aware of their weak capability in the development of key parts and high-end engines, a situation resulting from their long-term focus on assembling engines ordered from other carmakers. Some of them clearly understand that if they fail to build up core competency by absorbing up-to-date know-how and technology, they will inevitably lose out to foreign rivals in the market.
Emergence of Domestically Developed Engines
In April 2007, Toyota started manufacturing Corolla series cars in its factory in Tianjin City, northern China. This was encouraging news for China’s engine makers, being the first time for Toyota to turn out its ZR engines in a foreign country. These engines feature the Dual VVT-i (variable valve timing-intelligent) system that offers superior driving performance and world-class environmental performance, including excellent fuel efficiency.
Besides, market analysts predict that carmakers and engine developers will, in the future, focus on new-generation single-cylinder diesel engines, general gasoline engines, Euro III and IV standards-compliant diesel engines, and fuel-saving gasoline engines for use in trucks, buses, sedans, SUVs (sport utility vehicles) and MPVs (multi-purpose vehicles). Hybrid engines that can be fueled by CNG (compressed natural gas), LNG (liquefied natural gas), alcohol, or ether are also expected to become popular somewhere down the road.
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