Dubai, UAE- 10th November 2011:- Lifan, one of China's fastest growing privately-owned auto companies, is making its first appearance on the global automotive stage in November at the Dubai International Motor Show. Along with its all-new X60 SUV, Lifan is also lifting the covers off its first ever full electric car, called the EV620, at the show, which opens on 10 November 2011.
Based in Chongqing, South West China, Lifan is best known for its motorcycles but the launch of its new vehicle models in Dubai will demonstrate the company's desire to become a global automotive manufacturer. The firm has chosen Dubai for its first ever factory run international show because the Middle East is seen as a key target market for the Chinese manufacturer in its global export sales drive in showcasing its range of value-for-money products.
The Dubai International Motor Show is the largest and most established industry event in the Middle East and connects the global automotive industry with trade professionals from the region and South Asia too. Lifan will be showcasing its latest products at the show and the new vehicles are expected to attract lots of attention from showgoers and industry members alike.
With the launch of the new SUV and Electric Vehicle, Lifan is capitalising on the current and future growth segments of the automobile market. The X60 SUV, for instance, breaks the mould of a stereotypical Sport Utility Vehicle and will join a market segment that has seen unprecedented growth over the past two years; both in China and globally.
The X60's exterior is fashionable and emotive and blends traditional passenger car and SUV styling cues with Lifan's 'MM Design Language' to create an eye-catching urban SUV. Occupant safety is a primary concern and engineers have added in crash protection bars inside all the doors as well as the roof, while inside airbags come standard. Comfort is also at the top of the agenda with the X60, and it comes equipped with leather seats and 2-DIN music system.
The X60 is both practical and fuel efficient and has been designed for the economy leisure off-road market. Together with British-based engineering firm Ricardo, Lifan developed the SUV's 1.8-litre VVT petrol engine, which features an electronic throttle and efficient fuel delivery. The five-speed gearbox meanwhile has been engineered with a Tri-cone synchronizer for improved standing-start torque delivery and smoother shifts. The technology employed in the engine will be transferred across other platforms as Lifan continues to grow its own in-house Research and Development team.
Lifan is increasingly looking at future low-carbon technologies such as electric vehicles and visitors to the show can see one of the firm's first all-electric models on stand: the EV620. The manufacturer's EV strategy mirrors that of the State council policy, which announced the Automotive Industrial Restructuring and Revitalisation plan. The plan states that by 2012 5% of total passenger car sales must comprise of alternative energy sources like EVs, full hybrids and plug-in hybrids.
With the EV620, LIfan has developed a zero-emissions version of its popular 620 sedan with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The EV uses a vector-controlled water-cooled magnetic synchronous motor, a battery management system, Controller Area Network, regenerative breaking, vacuum-breaking servo and electric warming and cooling systems as part of the core technology.
The car is capable of doing up to 200km on a full six-hour charge and the lithium iron phosphate batteries can be charged on both slow and fast (30 minutes for 80%) chargers depending on the need. At its peak, the 47Kw motor can do 0-80kph in 15 seconds, at top speed of 100kph.
The desire for innovation has lead Lifan to expand globally in markets such as Europe, Africa, Southeast and West Asia and South America. Such is the manufacturer's drive to succeed it has already been awarded an EU certification meaning its qualifying products can be sold throughout Europe as well as in 50 other world markets.
Lifan has rapidly grown into one of the largest privately owned enterprises in China over its 19-year history and in 2010 successfully listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The firm has diversified its product offering; specialising in technology development as well as manufacturing and sales of cars, motorcycles and engines.
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About Lifan Motors:
Lifan Motors, created in 2005, is part of the Lifan Group, which is one of China's largest privately manufacturing companies. Started by entrepreneur Mr Yin Mingshan in a small workshop in Chongqing, Lifan quickly developed into a group that today consists of 18 factories, 14,000 employees with an annual turnover more than 16bn RMB ($2.5bn) and is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Since its inception in 1992 Lifan has grown rapidly thanks to worldwide sales of motorcycles and motorcycle engines in excess of 4.5 million units
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© Press Release 2011
