GAC Motor completes phase II factory, launches GA3S PHEV

China-based GAC Motor recently held the completion ceremony of the company’s new phase II factory in Guangzhou in June, and launched the new GS8 SUV and GA3S PHEV plug-in hybrid sedan.

Unveiled in November 2015, the GA3S PHEV is equipped with an efficient 1.5L Atkinson engine, advanced G-MC (GAC Mechatronic Coupling) system, liquid-cooled battery pack and e-machines.

The G-MC integrates the generator, traction motor, clutch, drivetrain and differential as a system. The 1.5-liter engine features a compression ratio of 13:1, with fuel consumption of 225 g/kWh only.

All electric range is 70 km (43.5 miles) NEDC. Combined cycle equivalent fuel consumption is less than 1.5 L/100 km (157 mpg US); electricity consumption is 13.6 kWh/100 km. 0-100 km/h acceleration takes 8.9 seconds; top speed is 180 km/h (112 mph).

The phase II factory, constructed in 15 months, will reach a daily production capacity of 740 vehicles by the end of August and is estimated to produce 150,000 vehicles every year. The completion of the phase II factory enables the company to achieve total annual production capacity of 650,000 vehicles.

GAC Motor says that it has been able to lower the production cost in the new factory significantly.

A new 90-meter-long engine assembly line can produce more than 200 models of engines, bringing the annual production to 700,000 engines.

Latest statistics from China Passenger Car Association showed that GAC Motor has sold a total of 159,000 cars in the first half year of 2016, achieving a 170% growth. In June, the company sold 26,100 vehicles in one month—a 143.6% year-on-year growth and highest among all Chinese automobile brands.

The company plans to achieve an annual production capacity of one million vehicles by 2020 upon establishing the global research and development network supported by GAC Automotive Engineering Institute, a global supply chain, cluster marketing and service model as well as founding the vehicle and powertrain platform, building the company’s core competitiveness strength in the international market.

Only Chinese Automaker At Detroit Show Displaying PHEV, Hybrid, EV

Chinese automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd., (GAC) isn’t currently selling its vehicles in the U.S. market according to reports, but that fact didn’t stop the brand from attending the 2013 Detroit Auto Show this week.

As the only automaker representing China, GAC was on hand to show three of its alternative fuels vehicles.
 

 

The NEV E-JET is an extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) concept car that the company says gets 100 kilometers (62 miles) in all-electric mode from its 13-kilowatt-hour (kwh) lithium-ion (li-ion) battery powering a 95-kilowatt permanent magnet motor. The E-JET uses a 1.0-liter gasoline engine and a 30-kw generator as the range-extender to charge the battery, which GAC says extends the total drive range to more than 600 km (373 miles).

That pure EV-mode range seems ambitious in light of all-electric mileage available from current model E-REVs like the Chevy Volt, which Chevy says is good for approximately 38 all-electric miles. If the car can achieve it, odds are good the battery has a much smaller buffer of unused capacity engineered in. And beyond that, lofty performance figures are anticipated when manufacturers exhibit concept cars.

Although the E-JET’s swoopy exterior lines make it look quick top speed is said to be a fairly sedate 160 kilometers per hour (roughly 99 mph), and 0 to 50 kph (31 mph) takes 4.5 seconds.
 

 

A vehicle GAC says will soon go on sale in China is the all-wheel-drive Hybrid Trumpchi.

Built on the sedan platform of the gas engine Trumpchi, this car will be the first of it’s kind to be sold in China according to a release by GAC. The hybrid version differs from the non-hybrid car primarily by use of an integrated starter/generator between the engine and the transmission at the front axle, an electrical motor driving the rear axle, and a li-ion battery pack mounted in the rear of the car.

This configuration says the Chinese automaker, gives the hybrid Trumpchi all the functions of a hybrid, like electric drive, an auto stop/start engine, regenerative braking, engine assist, etc. Additionally, the vehicle can automatically switch between two-wheel- and four-wheel-drive mode. GAC says the hybrid version of the Trumpchi has produced fuel economy 30 percent better than the gasoline variant.
 

 

Finally, there’s the company’s all-electric powertrain vehicle called the GS5 SUV.

A 35-kwh li-ion battery pack powers a motor the company says produces up to 225 Newton-meters of torque (165 pound-feet) and roughly 200 horsepower. The company estimates the GS5 should deliver a driving range of 100 miles at a speed of 60 mph.

Source: GM-Volt.com