Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Co Ltd, branded as ZX Auto, is a Chinese producer of SUVs and pick-up trucks.[1] Co-owned by Tianye Automobile Group Co Ltd and Taiwan Unite Leading Co, it was established in 1999[2] and exports to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. The company claims a per year production capacity of 110,000 units[3] – a figure that could conflate engines and whole vehicles.
Company type | Joint venture | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Industry | Automotive | ||||||
Founded | 1999 | ||||||
Headquarters | , China | ||||||
Products | Automobiles | ||||||
Number of employees | 2,800 | ||||||
Chinese name | |||||||
Simplified Chinese | 中兴汽车 | ||||||
Traditional Chinese | 中興汽車 | ||||||
| |||||||
Website | www |
History
editIn the latter half of the 2000s, the company sought access to the US market[4] with the help of US company Capital Corp,[5] and it participated in the 2007 National Automobile Dealers Association convention.[6] While US sales were touted as late as 2008,[1] the company has yet to sell its models in developed countries. Products are available in some EU member states, however.[7]
During the Libyan civil war, only 6 ZX Auto Grand Tiger pick-up trucks[8] found their way into rebel hands[9] and were turned into technicals replete with mounted guns.[10] As the conflict progressed, pro-Qaddafi forces also began using pick-ups after NATO aerial bombing raids disabled their armoured vehicles.[8] Some of the ZX Auto Grand Tiger pickups used in this civil war may have been branded as Tayo Auto Grandhiland.[citation needed] When fighting commenced in 2011, there were at least 15,000 ZX Auto pick-ups already in the country.[11]
Some sales are to Chinese state organizations.[12]
In 2014, the company removed a reference to co-ownership by Taiwan Unite Leading Co and Hebei Tianye Automobile Group Co Ltd from its website.[13] Website modifications also included changing the year of the company's formation from 1999 to 1949 although 1999 remained referenced as the year ZX Auto was "transformed into a joint venture company."[13]
Production bases and facilities
editZX Auto has two vehicle factories and a R&D center.[3] While one factory and the R&D center are likely located in Baoding, Hebei, where the company is based,[citation needed] the second factory may be in Changchun as ZX Auto has part-ownership of a production base in this city with Changling Group Co Ltd.[14] In late 2010, it started construction of a new plant in Yichang, Hubei, that will build SUVs and sedans.[15] As of late 2014, the company does reference a Baoding production base on its website claiming a production capacity of 50,000 units.[16]
Some of its products are assembled in small, overseas factories from knock-down kits, and ZX Auto states that the majority of its exports are in the form of these kits.[17] The companies that own these factories and do the final assembly are not necessarily affiliated with ZX Auto. Such assembly has commenced in Egypt, Iran, and Jordan, where a 5,000 unit/year factory was under construction as of 2008.[18] As of 2011, the company hopes new knock-down factories will spring up in Mexico and Malaysia.[19] In Poland, a pick-up, the Grand Tiger, is produced and sold by Polish company POL-MOT Warfama.[7] Probably assembled from knock-down kits,[citation needed] Polish models sport an engine that complies with EU regulations.[7]
Models
editCurrent
edit- ZX Grand Tiger (小老虎) pick-up
- ZX Weihu (威虎) pick-up
- ZX Terralord (领主) pick-up
- ZX Weishi (威狮)/ G9 pick-up
- ZX C3 Urban Ark CUV/ ZX Cross Van
Former
edit- ZX Admiral SUV and pick-up
- ZX Chanling (昌铃) pick-up
- ZX Landmark SUV
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Reed, J. (16 January 2008). ZXAuto to lead chinese assault on US car market. Financial Times.
- ^ "Zxauto-Changling branch". ZX Auto. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
- ^ a b "Introduction". About ZXAUTO. ZX Auto. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ "Proud Moments". About ZXAUTO. ZX Auto. Archived from the original on 6 December 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ Fairclough, G. (7 November 2006). "Bumper crop: As barriers fall in auto business, china jumps in" Wall Street Journal
- ^ Bursa, M. (2007). China automotive market review: Management briefing: Exports to the US. Just-Auto News
- ^ a b c "Poland sees China links as key to growth". Marketplace. American Public Media/National Public Radio. 28 December 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ a b "China-made pickup being known for Libyan War". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ "How I took my ZX Auto Grand Tiger To War Against Gaddafi". chinacartimes.com. 15 July 2012. Archived from the original on 20 July 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ Montlake, Simon (23 September 2011). "Libyan War Offers Mixed Blessings for China's ZX Auto". Forbes. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ For 2003 shipment of 4,000 pick-ups and c. 2008 shipment of 5,000, see "ZXAUTO exports 5,000 pickups to Libya". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- For 2009 shipment of 6,000 pick-ups, see "China-made pickup being known for Libyan War". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^
- "Delivery Landmark to Hebei Public Security Bureau". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 3 January 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- "Delivery Ceremony of ZXAUTO Grand Tiger Pick-ups to HaiNan Traffic Bureau as Construction Vehicles". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 16 December 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- "Focusing on requirement features of government procurement, ZXAUTO won 264 units of police order". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 7 December 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ a b See differences between archived ZX Auto websites.
- 28 Dec 2013 archive "About ZX auto: Introduction". zxauto.com.cn. ZX Auto. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Co., Ltd. is a joint venture of Taiwan Unite Leading Co. and Hebei Tianye Automobile Group Co., Ltd.
- 1 Feb 2014 archive "About ZX auto: Introduction". zxauto.com.cn. ZX Auto. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Co., Ltd.'s (ZXAUTO) predecessor was founded in 1949 and in Dec 1999 transformed into a joint venture company...
- 28 Dec 2013 archive "About ZX auto: Introduction". zxauto.com.cn. ZX Auto. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "ZXAUTO and ChangLing joint sedan factory has been established successfully". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 3 January 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ "Zhongxing Breaks Ground on SUV Plant in Yichang, Eyeing Sedan Market". ChinaAutoWeb.com. 29 November 2010.
- ^ "About ZX Auto: Introduction". zxauto.com.cn. ZX Auto. Archived from the original on 7 December 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "Grandtiger won dual champions in Iran in terms of product quality and customer satisfaction". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 3 January 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ For Egypt assembly, see "The First Chinese SUV Brand in the Biggest Market in North Africa". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- For Iran assembly, see "Grandtiger won dual champions in Iran in terms of product quality and customer satisfaction". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 3 January 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- For Jordan construction c. 2008, see "Cornerstone of ZXAUTO KD Plant in Jordan". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 3 January 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ "2250 units of GRANDTIGER pickups rolled into Middle Eastern market in January 2011". ZX Auto. 2011. Archived from the original on 3 January 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.