This year, the two national conferences promulgated the outline of the twelfth five-year plan for national economic and social development. In the outline, developing new energy vehicle industry became one of the innovative development projects of the seven emerging strategic industries. As the pressure on energy conservation and environmental protection is increasing, driven by the national strategy, the industry will usher in a great development opportunity and will even lay a solid foundation for the future development of the automobile industry.

Yuchai is effective in the R & D and applications of new energy engines, has taken the lead at home to develop hybrid engine, gas engine and other engines and accomplished mass production, and displayed its demeanor in receptions during international events such as Shanghai World Expo and Guangzhou Asian Games. Now, buses equipped with Yuchai hybrid and gas engines are operating in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Sanya and Chongqing. Yuchai new energy engines are seen throughout the country. How will Yuchai maintain its competitive edge in new energy engines to promote the development of the country's new energy vehicle industry in the future? How will Yuchai uphold the great banner of the national industry in the complex competitive environment? Regarding the issues on new energy engine development, the reporter interviewed Ouyang Minggao and Zhuo Bin, two prestigious scholars in the automobile industry.

Ouyang Minggao: member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC, vice chairman of the Academic Committee of Tsinghua University, Cheung Kong Scholar, director of the State Key Laboratory of Automotive Safety and Energy, leader of the expert panel of the major project of "energy-conserving and new energy vehicles" under National 863 Program and vice council chairman of the Society of Automotive Engineers of China (SAE-China).

Zhuo Bin, professor and doctoral supervisor of Shanghai Jiaotong University, invited expert of SAE-China, winner of GM Foundation-NSFC Science & Technology Achievement Award in China and CSICE "Award for Outstanding Achievements", executive council member of Chinese Society for Internal Combustion Engines, honorary council chairman of Shanghai Society for Internal Combustion Engines and senior technical consultant to chairman of Yuchai Machinery Co., Ltd. (YM)

Coming five years vital to automobile industry development

Reporter: Global warming and gradual exhaustion of petrochemical energy has propelled people to cast their eyes on new energy. What does this mean to domestic engine manufacturers? What adjustments do you think the nation will make to the new energy policies?

Ouyang Minggao: The development and applications of new energy engines has a great impact on the automobile and engine industries. Concretely, engine manufacturers must consider developing hybrid engines, alternative engine, battery engines, etc. Now, the engine industry must embark upon the R & D and applications of these engines.

In the new energy policies adopted by the nation, new energy vehicle is one of the nation's fixed emerging strategic industries, and other industries related to the automobile engine industry include high-end manufacturing, energy conservation and environmental protection, new energy, etc. Of course, new energy automobile is directly related to the automobile engine industry.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will map out the development plan of the new energy automobile industry soon. The new plan will involve a series of specific indicators for new energy engine development.

These adjustments are of far-reaching significance to engine manufacturers. The coming five years are most important to the transformation and upgrading of the economic structure and vital to the automobile industry. The pressure on energy conservation and emission reduction is on the increase, the strategic opportunity for new energy development is around the corner, it is expected that the nation will gradually fulfill relevant policies, laws, regulations and policies in this period.

Zhuo Bin: Developing new energy vehicles is a national objective, which will remain unchanged not matter what attitude engine manufacturers take. Prof. Ouyang is a national expert in this respect, who has elaborated on it. All engine manufacturers, including diesel engine enterprises, cannot help but adjust their industry orientation to this objective. Undoubtedly, it should also be the fundamental objective of the industry adjustment and transformation of Yuchai.

Reporter: As far as you know, what is the situation of applications and development of new energy engine abroad? How will Yuchai cope with it?

Ouyang Minggao: Now, new energy engines are mainly used for electric vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles abroad. We can make an analysis from three regions-the U.S., Europe and Japan.

Last year, I spearheaded a Sino-US joint research on clean vehicles and visited some U.S. automobile and engine manufacturers. New energy engines are mainly used on cars in the U.S. This is the top priority of the U.S. for new energy engine development

Now, U.S. new energy cars are mainly plug-in hybrid or plug-in electric cars. Plug-in hybrid cars are purely power-driven within a certain mileage. They are hybrid cars within this range. This accomplishes the organic combination of new battery engines and internal combustion engines.

They have also made great efforts in alternative fuel engines, including biofuel engines. Biofuel applications are an emphasis of the Sino-U.S. joint research on clean energy, especially second-generation biofuels. U.S. production, academic and research institutions have input considerable manpower and materials, too. The U.S. will see the massive transformation of gas engines, including automotive products such as trucks and cars.

Concretely, the biggest concerns about energy engine development in the diesel engine industry include hybrid-a combination of "diesel engine, electric motor and clutch" emphasized by them and energy conservation and emission reduction of diesel engines valued by them. They has been researching on how to balance the relations between in-cylinder emission and postprocessing when using SCR postprocessing system of diesel engines to optimize fuel consumption and emission. Aiming at the objective, they have a series of optimization technologies. These technologies can further reduce fuel consumption by about 6%. In other aspects, surplus heat utilization of waste gas is noticeable. Rankine cycle can further reduce fuel consumption. Another aspect worthy of attention is the development and applications of engines burning various fuels, especially diesel engines, including the integrated platform of diesel engines and gasoline engines.

To sum up, organic integration of engines with electric motors and power batteries, further optimization of energy conservation of engines, adaptability to various alternative fuels are the overall situation of new energy engine development in the U.S.

Europe and Japan are much similar to the U.S. Of course, they have their own characteristics.

As Europe is more rigorous than the U.S. in such aspects as laws and regulations on new energy utilization and carbon dioxide emission, they transform new energy more intensively and rapidly than the U.S. Though Europe has earlier maintained that diesel engines should be used on various automotive products, their automotive products, especially cars, are transiting fast to mileage-extended electric vehicles and electric vehicles. Mileage-extended electric vehicle needs a small generator, which has high efficiency, low noise and large specific power. The power system has furthered engine R & D.

As Europe is intensifying energy and emission restriction in downtowns and has released many preferential policies in this respect, they are fast in mini electric vehicle development. Additionally, as Europe primarily uses non-food crop to produce biofuels compared with the U.S., they are advanced in biofuel development.

Japan differs from Europe and the U.S. Strategically, the U.S. strategy aims to shake off dependence on oil, the European strategy aims to reduce carbon dioxide emission, while Japan gives priority to industry competitiveness development. Therefore, Japan develops hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles and fuel battery vehicles in an all-round manner. Toyota, Nissan and Honda, three major automakers, have their respective emphases in the three aspects of new energy engines. Targeting the global market, their products are adaptive, cost-effective and competitive.

Zhuo Bin: Yuchai mainly dabbles in the field of commercial vehicles. In this field, hybrid will remain dominant in the sector of new energy vehicles in the coming five years, and all commercial vehicle engines will use diesel engines, therefore Yuchai is promising. Most importantly, Yuchai should plan its development orientation properly, map out a strategy and take actions. Concretely, I suggest that Yuchai should develop hybrid-specific engines based on domestic hybrid technologies to satisfy the demands of various vehicles; should develop autonomous hybrid systems to maintain its leading role in traditional power in the field of new energy vehicles; and should expand its industry chain through industrial transformation and transit from a pure diesel engine supplier to a powertrain supplier. Yuchai is in a position and able to achieve these, the question is that someone should work out a plan and fulfill it in a down-to-earth manner.

Gas engine is another great orientation Yuchai can take into account. I expect that China will see the great development of gas engines. Yuchai should plan and introduce high-caliber products as soon ass possible.

Borrowing successful experience in new energy engine development

Reporter: In the context of transformation of the energy economy, countries differ in technical development. With core technology monopolized by foreign countries, how will domestic engine manufacturers open up a distinctive road of development in the field of new vehicle engines? 

Ouyang Minggao: In the context of fast growth of global new energy engines, Chinese engine manufacturers has also made technical breakthrough. In the first place, Yuchai has made great efforts in hybrid R & D and applications. Led by Mr. Zhuo Bin, Yuchai has developed hybrid systems for large buses, accomplished mass production and put them into operation.

In the second place, engine platforms adapted to various fuels and electrified development should be developed. From the perspective of the overall engine platform, gasoline and diesel engines are gradually approaching technical integration. This trend is prominent in mini vehicle engines. Then how to develop power systems adapted to various fuels and containing electric motors? First, the product is based on electric control technology, especially electric injection, which is vital. Currently, an important technology is in-cylinder combustion feedback control based on in-cylinder pressure sensor. This is a very important foundation for the follow-up uniform integrated mini engine platform.

With solid foundations for electric control and electric injection, Yuchai should master the electric control of engines more thoroughly and comprehensively in the next step. From electric control of boosters to SCR postprocessing control, Yuchai should progressively master in-cylinder combustion feedback control of engines, form an integrated platform of engine control, and further incorporate the starting motor system and generator system into the scope of control. Trough integrated control of a good engine platform, a good electric injection system, a good combustion feedback control system with a good air system, control of a postprocessing system, control of a starting motor and generator system, control of engine heat management and surplus heat utilization, an intelligent engine platform is formed. This field is promising and is a great trend of development of the international engine industry. With conditions met, these technologies can be converted into products, which is worthy of attention by Yuchai's R & D department.

In the last place, electric drive system. A key to the system is the R & D of power battery. Power battery is one of the core technologies of future power systems as well as the most active core technical field in current technical changes. As overseas engine enterprises have been doing elaborate researches, Yuchai should place power battery research on the agenda and seek breakthrough in the industry. This may be a penetrating point for the industrialization of our electric vehicles. Yuchai should value and research on the technology.

Zhuo Bin: In today's world, no industries or fields can be enclosed or self-reliant. Now that new energy vehicle has been an orientation recognized by the nation and the world, it is natural and unavoidable to encounter technical competition and patent monopoly. We cannot help but face up to challengers, complete product development through innovation and "Advancement" and expand our space through quality products.

I want to extend the topic. Once I chatted with a friend, we mentioned an unfortunate fact that almost no industries in China can shake off the fate of "swarming". In most cases, when an emerging industry has no sufficient capability to drive the market, its total production capacity has been excess. Currently, the new energy vehicle industry is facing such an embarrassing situation, too. Excess total production capacity will results in excessive competition and consequently improper means, Yuchai should be mentally prepared.

Reporter: Currently, many enterprises in the industry have developed and applied new energy engines, so what is the current situation of R & D of new energy engines at home?

Ouyang Minggao: The R & D of domestic new energy power systems has experienced a decade's development from massive R & D in the tenth five-year period to massive commercial demonstration in the eleventh five-year period. The twelfth five-year period is likely to see the further advancement of R & D and industrialized transformation of the systems. Concretely, in R & D, we will stay focus on three core technologies-battery, motor and electric control. China has laid a solid industrial foundation for the research of power batteries, and the production capacity will hit 10 billion kilowatt hours in the twelfth five-year period. Now, the power batteries developed by China are also in use abroad, but due to the weak R & D foundation, we are still far behind our foreign counterparts in the R & D of basic materials of batteries. Of course, the gap is narrowing gradually. Battery is a large part of the Sino-U.S. joint research.

In commercial demonstration, in the eleventh five-year period, outstanding achievements were made in the commercial demonstration of large city buses. The demonstration and popularization of new energy systems of large city buses has achieved remarkable effects, with a popularization scale of nearly 10,000.

Industrialization is critical in the twelfth five-year period, and the core is to develop product platforms adapted to the market. Yuchai has done pretty well in large buses. Therefore, it shall focus on cars. Work may be done from the following aspects to make a breakthrough in the new energy engines of cars: one is mini electric vehicle which suits short-distance operation and has low requirements for speed, a solid foundation has be laid on the industrialization of mini electric vehicles; another is batter vehicles; the other is plug-in hybrid vehicle suiting the characteristics of the Chinese market, which is also the key model for industrialized popularization in the twelfth five-year period.

On the whole, through a decade's R & D and demonstration, a solid foundation has been laid for China's new energy power, especially electric vehicles. In the twelfth five-year period, efforts will be stepped up in research, demonstration, technical advancement and commercialized utilization. To push forward the work, a series of standards, laws and regulations will be promulgated in succession. Some supporting policies, tax policies and differentiated policies will be released to support the all-round popularization of new energy.

The twelfth five-year period is a critical period of global electric vehicle development as well as a turning period of popularization and demonstration of Chinese electric vehicles.

Zhuo Bin: Supported by the two five-year plans of the nation, all areas have seen the emergence of a number of enterprises that have achieved initial effects in the field of new energy vehicles. Overall, new energy vehicles have experience two stages. The first phase is "usability", such as system feasibility and reliability, namely selecting appropriate technical routes and reliable products from a wide variety of system solutions and sample vehicles. As the stage is past, two technical routes-series and parallel have formed in the country, over 5,000 hybrid buses have gone into operation in all model cities. The second phase "efficiency", namely rate of fuel consumption, reliability and comprehensive cost. At this stage, the engineering level of domestic products have increased considerably and gained enough strength to challenge their foreign counterparts in the field of commercial vehicles.

Yuchai boasts a lot of advantages, such as complete talents, strong development capacity, large industrial scale, strong service capacity, product superiority in the bus market, etc. Also, Yuchai has made a lot of friends with an open mind and been instructed by many senior masters. I often say the success of Yuchai hybrid engines is attributable to suggestions and support from many friends in China's auto industry, which pinned the strong complex of the national industry and autonomous brand on Yuchai.

Yuchai is confronted with all sorts of difficulties, too. For example, all auto works plan to conduct industrial adjustment and development based on new energy vehicles, and are likely to introduce their electric and hybrid systems; all areas hope to cultivate the local new energy vehicle industry and set up many thresholds for market access; the competition between series and parallel will exist permanently and improve constantly. Yuchai should fear no competition. Though competition in the diesel engine industry is so intense and even fierce, didn't Yuchai withstand and conquer it?

I often have brainstorming with Yuchai's new energy power team. At meetings, attendees open mind to argue about the advantages and disadvantages of technical routes, critically judge their products and exchange ideas on future competition and development. "Drawing upon strengths and making up deficiencies" is a discipline of the Chinese nation handed down for thousands of years, everybody knows that, but only those who know how to achieve that will laugh last. Such brainstorming is maybe a way.

Great opportunity for Yuchai R & D staff to display talent

Reporter: As a senior technical consultant of Yuchai, could you introduce the situation of R & D and applications of Yuchai's new energy engines?

Zhuo Bin: Yuchai did not include new energy in the tenth five-year plan, but made great efforts to construct its capacity for electric control first. At that time, I did not think Yuchai was capable of immediately developing such high-tech and electromechanical products as hybrid engines. Through years? capacity construction, Yuchai has enjoyed the strongest capacity for electric control calibration, system integration and fault diagnosis, and cultivated a host of outstanding electric control engineers and technical service staff through the development of electric control diesel engines. In this way, the development of hybrid systems succeeded.

In the eleventh five-year period, Yuchai made two praiseworthy achievements in the field of new energy: for the first, Yuchai joined hands with Shanghai Jiaotong University to develop ISG hybrid system, which was the first school-enterprises cooperative project personally signed by Chairman Yan Ping after he joined Yuchai. Subsequently, Yuchai developed the hybrid system and two special vehicles to match various cities bus ranging from 10 to 12 meters, and started to introduce them to the market in small volume. Upon introduction, the products were well received by the market, and all the hybrid city buses operating during Guangzhou Asian Games were equipped with Yuchai systems, withstood severe tests and finished the mission with "zero failure and zero complaint". So far, seven major bus plants have used equipped buses with Yuchai hybrid systems and demonstrated buses in cities such as Guangzhou, Suzhou, Chongqing, Kunming, Tianjin and Haikou. For the second, Yuchai cultivated a team, which includes several doctors with profound expertise as well as a number of young but studious engineers. This is a professional, all-round, passionate and respected team. They have a professional division of responsibilities for electric control, motor and battery, good teamwork sprit and a strong capacity for system integration. Also, Yuchai has established a technical support and after-sale team of over 60 members. I have received many leaders and customers. Every time they saw the team, they would say it is the best and admirable team they have ever seen. Owning the team is an honor and pride of Yuchai.

In gas engine, Yuchai has kept well ahead in the industry whether in model or in the number in possession. Also, Yuchai has joined hands with external forces to develop an autonomous gas fuel supply system and developed new-generation gas engines based on the system.

As market demands increase, other enterprises will join in competition. Without leading product quality, the leading role in the market will be shaky. This is noticeable to Yuchai. Besides, Yuchai should be keenly aware that the development of specific gas engines cannot be ignored in order to keep ahead. Gas engines have a lot of advantages, can enhance overall quality in combustion organization and knock control, is incomparable to modified diesel engines. Of course, the market demand of gas engines is small, how to balance cost and performance and when to introduce the product are yet to be proved and decided on by the company.

Reporter: You often give many useful instructions to Yuchai's R & D staff, so what do you expect of them in respect of development and applications of new energy engines?

Ouyang Minggao: Yuchai is highly innovative enterprise with a good R & D team. Yuchai's R & D platform has kept ahead in the domestic auto industry and diesel engine industry. With the increase in the pressure of energy conservation and emission reduction and the development of new energy engines, technical innovation will become increasingly important in sharpening corporate competitiveness and Yuchai's advantage will be further played. I believe that Yuchai's R & D staff will usher in a great opportunity to display their talent.

I also believe that Yuchai's competitiveness will be further sharpened with the concerted efforts of all the R & D staff.

Zhuo Bin:Knowledge is infinite, so is technical progress. Knowledge is boundless, so is the passion for learning and work. The first step of independent innovation is to update your concept and knowledge. I would like to share my experience above for mutual encouragement.

(Song Yonggeng)