By Chang Yanjun

Auto industry is a giant in terms of energy consumption and environmental influence, as well as one of the major impetuses for economic development, so how to save energy and protect environment better to realize a sustainable development becomes an urgent issue for auto industry.

At present, all major automakers worldwide are seeking for solutions actively, such as researching and developing new energy, upgrading traditional technologies and advocating using autos with small emission volume. To vigorously advocate and develop the autos with small emission volume is an inevitable trend for the current development of auto industry.

Xu Liuping, President of Changan Auto, believes that to vigorously develop autos with small emission volume in China is more urgent and realistic than that in any other country in the world. The autos with small emission volume occupy a leading position, such an auto product structure is in line with China's national conditions. However, presently the proportion of China's autos with small emission volume still needs improving further. In the first half of 2009, the number of cars with 1.0L and below emission volume only takes up 5.5 percent in China's car market, those with 1.0L to 1.3L for 9 percent, and the sum of them is only 14.5 percent.

Since the beginning of this year, China has issued many incentive policies successively, which makes the auto consumption increase rapidly, especially makes the auto types with below 1.6L witness a soaring growth. Many automakers with self-owned brands are actively researching and developing the exquisite autos with small emission volume.

For Changan Auto, more than 60 percent of independently innovated products are autos with small emission volume. In terms of developing autos with small emission volume, Changan Auto always perseveres in taking such a product route of "Energy saving & environmental friendly, safe & fashionable, economic & practical". In the product structure, Changan Auto takes the types with below 1.6L as the major force, and mid-and-top end products as the complement. Statistics shows that in 2008, the sales volume of Changan Auto's passenger vehicle reached 669,100 sets, among which, the sales volume of autos with 1.6L and below emission volume reached 498,900 sets, taking up 74.56 percent of the total sales volume. From January to September of 2009, Changan Auto's total sales volume achieved 1.03 million sets, among which, autos with1.6L and below emission volume were sold for 880,000 sets, occupying 85.4 percent; while the sales volume of such autos with1.0L and below emission volume takes up 50 percent.

Changan Auto has mapped out a development blueprint in the future three to five years. In such a plan, under the direction of such a strategic guideline that "Taking mini-type as a basic, taking cars as a major force, expanding overseas market, executing joint venture & cooperation and implementing acquisition and reorganization", Changan Auto plans to realize the breakthrough of 2 million sets in total auto output with the market share of around 15 percent by 2012, among which, the mini-typed autos are expected to reach between 950,000 and 1 million sets with the market share of around 40 percent; the cars 810,000 sets with the market share of around 12 percent.

In terms of mini-autos, currently, Changan Auto has invested a large sum of research fund on developing new products and improved old products in proper time. Meanwhile, Changan Auto has effectively adjusted the output structure of mini-autos and improved productive efficiency. What's more, Changan Auto is also a promoter on "mini-autos going to the countryside", striving for actively expanding rural auto market with qualified products, excellent services and favorable measures.

As for Changan Auto's cars with self-owned brands, mini-typed and economic-typed cars are the two fields developed intensively, stressing building up strong and exquisite economic cars and then stretching to the field of intermediate cars.

In the field of mini autos, based on the platform of Benben, Chana launched serial auto types and finally formed a mini car system with multiple series covering from 0.8L to 1.3L emission volume; in the field of economic cars, based on such two platforms as CV7 and CVG, an economic car system with multiple series covering from 1.3L to 1.6L emission volume has been formed. This year, Changan Auto has launched such auto types as ZhiXiang 1.6, YueXiang 1.5 and Jiexun hybrid power cars, and will launch such products as ZhiXiang CNG and YueXiang 1.3.

Giving priority to the autos with small emission volume is the product strategy that Changan Auto has insisted on for a long time. Correspondingly, Changan Auto preserves on taking developing small engines with high efficiency as its own task. Presently, 80 percent of the engines made by Changan Auto have the emission volume below 1.0L. Chana also plans to invest RMB7 billion yuan on establishing a largest basis for producing the engines with green and small emission volume that holds leading position in China between 2008 and 2012.