FAW builds its first plug-in and EV
China FAW Group Corp.'s first two alternative-energy vehicles, a plug-in hybrid and a pure electric vehicle, rolled off the production line last week at its plant in the northeast China city of Changchun.
The vehicles are developed on the platform of FAW's Besturn 550 gasoline compact car.
The Besturn plug-in hybrid's gasoline consumption is 60 percent less than the corresponding gasoline model, the B50. Powered by a lithium ion battery pack alone, the plug-in hybrid has a range of 70 km on a full charge, FAW said.
The Besturn EV, powered by lithium ion batteries, has a range of 170 km on a full charge.
FAW's alternative-energy vehicle plant was opened in 2008 and can build 10,000 vehicles a year.
FAW plans to invest 9.8 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) to develop 13 alternative-energy passenger vehicle models and three alternative-energy commercial vehicle models from 2011 to 2015.
FAW, a major state-owned automaker, has passenger vehicle joint ventures with Volkswagen AG and Toyota Motor Corp. It also has a light commercial vehicle joint venture with General Motors Co.
