A new CALSTART business guide on the China truck and bus market finds growing export and business opportunities for U.S. manufacturers of clean technology and fuel components, systems and vehicles. This includes natural gas, hybrid and electric systems and other cleaner, higher efficiency technology for trucks and buses.
The report, “Business Opportunity Guide: Advanced Technologies for Medium and Heavy-Duty Vehicles in China,” supports a CALSTART program to assist U.S. companies to launch or expand exports to China. Called the U.S.-China Clean Truck and Bus Forum, the program is a partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration.
The new report documents how China is now the world’s largest producer of vehicles and that its medium- and heavy-duty vehicle market is a source of tremendous deployment activity in advanced technology and alternative fuels. Commercial vehicles, such as truck and buses, represent a much larger portion of the over-all vehicle population in China than they do in the U.S.
Natural gas truck and bus growth in China is expanding rapidly, as evidenced by Beijing Transit’s recent plans to procure three thousand liquefied natural gas (LNG) buses by 2015. This represents more buses in one purchase than operate in the primary L.A. regional bus system.
Similarly, China operates an aggressive 25 city demonstration effort for new energy vehicles (NEVs), including electric and hybrid medium and heavy-duty vehicles.
The Chinese government has recently expressed greater openness to foreign collaboration in these technologies to help it meet its deployment goals. Given U.S. leadership in clean commercial vehicle technologies, the report provides guidance to U.S. firms on the key market segments, players and strategies.
