A Hongqi CA773 in Switzerland tells the story of China’s automotive industry

If you drive through Switzerland today, you will come across Chinese car brands more and more often. BYD, Xpeng, MG, or Nio are no longer exotic.

While Chinese new cars are increasingly dominating the streetscape, there is one type of vehicle that you practically never see: Chinese classic cars. This is hardly surprising, because according to current knowledge, there is only one specimen in Switzerland – a Hongqi (“Red Flag”) CA773 from 1975.

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Early Volkswagen Santana Hydrogen Prototypes In China

In the early 2000s, automaker SAIC Motor and several Shanghai-based research institutions and companies developed a series of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCHVs) based on the Volkswagen Santana 2000 and Volkswagen Santana 3000.

At the time, the Chinese central and local governments actively supported research into New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), a broad category that included hydrogen-powered vehicles.

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Early Dongfeng FCEV Projects In China

Years before Chinese carmakers focused on EVs and PHEVs, they also experimented with FCEVs, CNG, and even diesel powertrains. One of those carmakers was Dongfeng. In the early 2000s, it created a series of FCEVs, one of which was based on the Citroen C-Elysee. But first, let’s talk about politics.

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The Dongfeng Little Prince story.

Challenged by the good sales of the Chinese Suzuki Alto license copies, Dongfeng (like FAW) wanted a small car of her own. Development and production started in the city of Baolan, not far from Shiyan in Hubei province.

Dongfeng Xiao Wangzi EQ7080/EQ7100 Taxi, photo copyright Erik van Ingen Schenau, Shiyan 1998.

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The 1920s Adventures of Ford in North China.

In earlier stories, I have written about the coach builders of Shanghai.
With the article about the Frazar company in Tianjin, it was clear that there were car-body makers in other Chinese cities in the 1920s as well.
Here about the  Fords made in Tianjin.

From the Oriental Motor magazine, December 1920.

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