Japanese Media: Chinese Enterprises like Geely Target Japanese Automakers with New Hybrid Vehicles
On May 1, the Sankei News reported that Chinese automakers such as Geely have begun launching aggressive moves in the hybrid vehicle segment—a field where Japanese manufacturers have long excelled—during the Beijing Auto Show.
The article states: Chinese automakers showcased hybrid vehicles (HV) prominently at this year’s Beijing International Automotive Exhibition. As a promising new frontier following the rapid growth of electric vehicles (EV), Japanese manufacturers are also reinforcing their advantages in hybrid technology, with Japanese hybrid models having consistently outperformed those from Chinese companies.
Geely displayed a vehicle equipped with its newly developed hybrid system, “i-HEV,” achieving a fuel consumption of just 2.22 liters per 100 kilometers, thanks to artificial intelligence technologies enabling high fuel efficiency.
Changan Automobile also unveiled a new hybrid model. GAC Group had previously demonstrated its latest hybrid technology in April.
In the past, Chinese enterprises had not invested significantly in hybrid technology, as China has promoted electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) through tax incentives, but non-plug-in hybrids were not classified as new energy vehicles (and thus did not qualify for tax exemptions).
However, this year, tax benefits for new energy vehicles have been reduced, leading to weaker sales momentum.
With crude oil prices surging due to escalating tensions in the Middle East, purely gasoline-powered vehicles are under increasing pressure. Chinese companies are now leveraging their technological expertise developed in PHEVs to focus on advancing conventional hybrid vehicles.
Original Source: toutiao.com/article/1864003333050507/
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