China natural gas markets are rather hot in the first quarter, continuing the optimistic markets since last quarter last year. And Sinotruk delivered quite a few orders in March and they delivered 30 HOWO-A7 natural gas trucks to Lionbridge Capital China Co., Ltd. in April, so that sales of Sinotruk natural gas trucks are hitting record high. Jiang Zaixian, major developer of China natural gas engines and also the deputy general manager of Sinotruk Group is interviewed to say that this can attributed to many years' accumulations, mature and continuing technology and complete after sales services.
As central government support energy saving and clean energy vehicles, sales of natural gas trucks are welcoming another spring. According to sales data from CAAM, sales of Shacman, FAW Jiefang and Sinotruk natural gas trucks ranked the top three, and Sinotruk produced the first natural gas trucks in 2005, and this is also the first natural gas truck in China. And the first CNG truck was exported by Sinotruk to Thailand in 2005, and there are more than 1000 China natural gas trucks exported to Thailand in these years.
Thailand is the major markets for China natural gas trucks and China natural gas trucks are getting mature with sales in the markets. Compared with the rich natural gas resources in Thailand and around, the natural gas is not rich in China and construction of gas refilling stations are retard at the same time, so that the natural gas markets are improving slowly in China. With the hiking petrol price and encourage for using environmental protection and more natural gas refilling stations are building, the sales of natural gas trucks were rather hot in 2012, and Sinotruk, together with other major China truck makers, are perfecting their product lines, and Sinotruk are owning dumpers, tractors, cargo van and cement mixer trucks.
China natural gas trucks are seeking cooperation from joint ventures, especially Canadian Westport HPI direct injection technology, but the shortcoming is that the maintenance cost will be higher and the sales volumes won't be large. And most China natural gas power system are cooperating with American WOODWARD and Ecotrols companies, and Sinotruk is cooperating with Ecotrols company now.
