CECTEK debuts 2.0L, 2.2L automotive engines

Taipei, Sept. 1, 2005 (CENS)--Taiwan's Advance Power Investment Co., Ltd. (CECTEK, formerly China Engine Corp.) has successfully developed a 2.0L and a 2.2L 16-valve automotive engines in cooperation with the government-funded Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and is scheduled to mass-produce the engines within two years.

CECTEK's new engines are aiming at two major local customers in the initial stage, including Yulon Motor Co. (in partnership with Nissan of Japan) and China Motor Corp. (Mitsubishi). Yulon Motor and China Motor are the flagship company and a subsidiary, respectively, of the Yulon Group, the largest automobile production conglomerate in Taiwan and a major shareholder in CECTEK.

Yulon Group officials pointed out that Mitsubishi has slowed down its new-car and -engine development due to financial problems, and therefore China Motor is expected to adopt CECTEK's engines in the future.

Lin Mao-yen, president of CECTEK, said that his company developed first a 2.0L 16-valve, natural aspired automotive engine platform and modified it into a 2.2L model with two versions, including natural aspired and turbo charger. All the prototypes have been completed, setting a new milestone for the development of Taiwan's automotive-engine technologies.

Lin said that all of the intellectual properties involving the new engines belong to CECTEK, which is scheduled to complete development of all the molds and dies by the end of the year and begin mass production within one and a half or two years.

CECTEK's new engines adopt engine management system (EMS) developed by Delphi of the U.S., and its turbo technique is provided by a French partner, industry insiders pointed out.

According to Lin, CECTEK is also developing small engines with displacements of 400cc to 700cc. The first small engine prototype is expected to be completed by the end of the year and the company is scheduled to begin mass production of such small engines by the end of 2006. Lin pointed out that the small engines would be supplied to local and foreign makers of all terrain vehicles (ATVs) or mini racing vehicles such as dome buggies and go-carts.

CETEK, in fact, showcased a 250cc high-end go-cart engine, which is also suitable for agricultural machines or other recreational vehicles, at the Taipei Taipei Int'l Auto/Motorcycle Parts & Accessories Show (AMPA) held in May. This demonstrated the company's niche-oriented development direction.

Yulon has been trying to persuade its foreign technical partners such as Mitsubishi of Japan and GM of the U.S. to allow Yulon Motor and China Motor to adopt homegrown engines on their locally made car models, according to senior officials with the Yulon Group.

The officials said that GM has commissioned Yulon's Chingling design center and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC, a 50-50 joint venture between General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation Group) to develop a sedan model with engine displacements of 1.6L and 2.0L. The new car, which will be marketed under the BUICK brand, is scheduled to hit the market in the second half of next year in Taiwan.