Foreign automaker forms China EV joint venture

According to China Daily, the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Dongfeng Motor Group have formed a joint venture to manufacture electric vehicles in China. The vehicles will be produced at the Dongfeng facility in Hubei province. The first model, a compact SUV, will begin manufacture in 2019. The facility will have a production capacity of 120,000 vehicles per year. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers reports that 204,000 electric cars were sold from January to July this year, a 33.6% increase year-on-year. Many automakers are rushing to meet this rising demand. Earlier this year, Ford and Volkswagen both formed partnerships to produce electric vehicles in China. The foreign automakers are also responding to a policy that will shortly require automakers to meet a production quota for electric vehicle sales in China.