Chinese Automakers Team Up For Home-Market EV After Helping With U.S. Model

(Note: Article updated 9/8/09 at 8:41 am to correct misidentification of Coda Automotive in all references after the initial paragraph.)

The Chinese automaker that will build Southern California-based Coda Automotive's upcoming electric sedan, reportedly has signed a deal to with a Chinese advanced autmotive R&D consortium to jointly produce alternative-fuel vehicles, including EVs,  for their home market.

Harbin Hafei Automobile Industry Group, whose Saibao sedan (left) will be the basis of the new Coda EV,  will combine forces with Qingyuan Electric Vehicle to jointly develop alternative-fuel vehicles, IHS Global Insight reports, citing the Xinhua news agency as its source.

Qingyuan, based in Tianjin City, is majority owned by the China Automotive Technology & Research Center. It first associated with Harbin Hafei in 2007 to develop an EV- version of the Saibao.

Coda is using a heavily reengineered version of the car for its own EV, slated to go one sale in California in mid 2010.

Harbin Hafei also supplies Miles Automotive Group, from which Coda sprouted earlier this year, with low-speed electric carts and trucks for the U.S. commercial market.

The two Chinese companies are hoping to take advantage of the Chinese government's intent to transform the nation's private transportation system by providing incentives for alternative-fuel and electric vehicles.

Analysts for IHS Global Insight note that with the government's promise of financial support, larger and better-established Chinese auto companies are also are preparing to launch EVs and hybrids and that competition might dampen Harbin Hafei's chances.

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John O'Dell September 8, 2009, 8:01 AM

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China, Coda, Plug-ins and Electric

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Coda Automotive, Electric Vehicles, EV, Harbin Hafei Automobile