On March 25, 2019, the first order for new energy bus, namely, 2,790 AUV new energy buses were formally delivered. It is noteworthy that there are 1,150 plug-in hybrid electric buses (HEBs) in the order being provided with Yuchai’s engines meeting China VI-b emission standards. After all, it is rare to see HEBs in the bus market of fully pure automation today, let alone such a large number of 1,150 HEBs.

Why did pure electric vehicles (PEVs) not fully cover the large order of 2,790 new energy buses? How did Yuchai, as a supporting diesel engine supplier with the largest share in bus industry, get this large order?

HEV still in style

Upon new energy application to pure electric, hydrogen-fueled and methanol vehicles in the bus market, various technical solutions are springing out. In domestic market, perhaps most people consider that the mainstream technical solution of pure electric vehicles is most popular currently. Quite a few conventional engine manufacturers and supporting enterprises devote a lot in this solution. However, this is not the case.

First of all, there is an obvious increase in the sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) according to the automobile production and marketing data in 2018. In 2018, we produced and marketed 986,000 and 984,000 PEVs respectively, with a respective increase of 47.9% and 50.8% on year-on-year basis, and produced and marketed 283,000 and 271,000 plug-in HEVs respectively, with a respective increase of 122% and 118% on year-on-year basis.

Regardless of the division of passenger vehicle and bus, this set of data is enough to prove that plug-in HEVs are not out of style in the new energy vehicle market.

Secondly, subsidies in new energy vehicles in 2019 slumped again. In spite of almost the same decline of subsidy in plug-in HEB and PEV, the latter, however, will again fight against cost and endurance challenges after the subsidy recedes and maybe the former will become a “main force”. This is because plug-in HEBs can be used to improve the service efficiency of conventional internal combustion engine and vehicle energy efficiency and to reduce the battery usage, vehicle dead weight and cost.

In particular, a plug-in HEB is ideal for long-distance transportation. It works deftly whether for suburban bus line or for regular service route in the forenoon. This has ever been mentioned by Wan Gang, vice chairman of the National Committee of CPPCC and Miao Wei, minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China at the 100-member forum for China’s electric vehicles in 2019.

With the markets of bus and business purpose vehicle, plug-in HEVs can stand firm on its own domain. Thus, HEVs may not be sifted out quickly. This may help explain why there are 1,150 plug-in HEBs in the large order of 2,790 new energy buses in 2019.

Notably, engines for the 1,150 plug-in HEBs delivered to Beijing Public Transport are of YCS04N and YC4FAN series from Yuchai. The two types of engines, based on the most advanced emission control technology of equivalent combustion + exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) + three way catalysts (TWC) in the world, fully satisfy the China VI-b emission standards.

For YCS04160N-53LNG engine of a vehicle model BJ6127, its maximum power is 118 kW (180 HP) and maximum torque is 600 N.m. The vehicle, with a daily operating distance up to 400 km or more, meets China VI standards and can definitely run in outer suburbs.

Why can Yuchai get the large order?

Beijing Public Transport, as a pacemaker in public transport system nationwide, has always been taking the lead in implementing the most stringent emission regulations. Among so many enterprises in the engine market, why just Yuchai is favored by Beijing Public Transport or even the complete vehicle enterprise?

This is perhaps Yuchai, as a supporting diesel engine supplier with the largest share in bus industry, has adopted “new energy” with enthusiasm in the face of the new challenge of bus electrification.

In 2016, Yuchai established New Energy Department and started to launch products of HEV system assembly and PEV system assembly. Nowadays, Yuchai’s engine takes a share of over 70% in hybrid market, and its new energy engine holds a share of 80% in Nanning market and has run through the upper, middle and lower reaches of the whole industry sector of Yuchai Group.

On July 18, 2018, the commencement ceremony of the project of Yuchai’s PEVs for commercial use was held. With a total investment of RMB 1.34 billion, Yuchai aims to build a comprehensive production base integrating R&D, manufacturing, sale and service of PEV for commercial use and its components and parts, which can manufacture 50,000 PEVs for commercial use annually and have an annual sales revenue of RMB 7 billion after the design capacity is reached.

In addition, being able to get the large order of Beijing Public Transport is also attributable to Yuchai’s high reliability and favorable service guarantee. Cooperating with Beijing Public Transport for years, Yuchai has been recognized and trusted by Beijing Public Transport.

Previously in Beijing market have the first batch of Yuchai’s engines meeting the latest emission standards from China III to Euro VI been put into service in Beijing Public Transport Group. Upon the upgrading of China VI emission standards, motor buses provided with Yuchai’s China VI engines have been put into operation in Beijing in batches since 2016 and have reached the maximum mileage of 280,000 km so far. The latest motor buses with Yuchai’s China VI engines launched in Beijing market have a mileage of about 70,000 km. All these motor buses meet the emission standards after being used for three years under the rigorous surveillance of environmental protection departments in Beijing.

Actually, Yuchai, across the whole diesel engine industry, is first one to face up to the trend of “pure electrification of vehicle” and embrace this trend and takes the lead in greatly investing for large-scale construction. As the first domestic native engine enterprise launching China VI products in bulk, Yuchai has directly developed China VI-b diesel engine instead of China VI-a engine, with 11 series of products in diesel engine technology platforms S, K and Y. The engine displacement extends all the way to 15L from 2L and the power ranges from 73.5 kW and 514.5 kW. As for Yuchai’s gas engine, its displacement extends to 15L from 3L and power ranges from 73.5 kW to 411.6 kW.

Supported by so powerful product technology and public transport field with the largest sales in bus, Yuchai maintains the first market share holder and will undoubtedly catch the large order in new energy bus market in 2019.

(Source: find 800.cn)