Jiefang super heavy-duty trucks have been fully upgraded with state-of-the-art technology.

After three generations of development, 3.8-million-km validation tests of the vehicle by nearly 100 sample vehicles, and more than 60,000 hours of assembly bench tests over six years, First Automotive Works (FAW) Group Corporation has finally developed the Jiefang J6.

Approved by international authoritative institutions, the lifespan of Jiefang J6 exceeds the 8,00,000 km of the European standard.

Its mobility rate is over 95 percent and it meets advanced European levels in power performance, economical efficiency, stability and safety.

During the creation of Jiefang J6, its manufacturers (FAW) developed more than 300 innovative technologies and applied for Chinese patents for 197 of them.

Jiefang J6 has the "6-high and 1-low" advantage, i.e. "high tech, high reliability and long lifetime, high power performance and loading ability, high ride comfort, high safety, high operative performance and low fuel consumption."

The truck is available in four configurations to meet customers' requirements -luxury, standard, fortified and super-fortified.

Background

The idea of fully developing next-generation medium and heavy-duty trucks was put forward when FAW Group Corporation was discussing product plans in 2000, ahead of the implementation of the 10th Five Year Plan (2001-05).

Although the market share of FAW's medium and heavy-duty trucks was very high, all product development was based on immediate market requirement.

It was suggested that next-generation products be developed to maintain long-term competitive ability of the enterprise.

At that time, international auto giants were making their foray into the Chinese market, and many local vehicle manufacturers were in the process of cooperating or setting up joint ventures with them.

Studying the situation, FAW rejected the condition of giving up its self-developed "Jiefang" brand proposed by a multinational company, and in order to boost independent innovation, decided to develop a new-generation self-developed world-class super heavy-duty truck - Jiefang J6.

Design concept

The Jiefang J6 series is a next-generation range of products self-developed by FAW during the 10th Five-Year Plan (2001-05).

To successfully counter competition from imported trucks in the future and realize the strategic plan of exporting to the European market, the vehicle was positioned at international advanced levels of development and initially based on European advanced truck designing.

Meanwhile, in view of the domestic low and medium-end market, the J6 trucks are expected to be the new-generation leading products of FAW and, by 2010, substitute trucks currently being produced. The J6 series aims to provide competitive high quality trucks at lower costs.

Advantages and features

Jiefang J6 is a milestone in the history of FAW products.

Amalgamating global advanced technology with self-developed main assemblies such as cabs and engines, integrating advanced parts such as braking parts, ABS/ASR and ECAS from WEBCO, Germany, power steering gear from TRW, USA and EF-SACHS damper and adopting advanced new technology, new materials and new processes such as CAN bus, the advanced performance and reliability of J6 products are ensured.

There are three core qualities of the Jiefang J6 - high reliability, low fuel consumption and humanized design. Jiefang J6 has created a brand-new profit-making mode that increases transportation profit and lowers logistical costs.

In order to supply a reliable and safe heavy-duty truck to customers, the Jiefang J6 was tested in extreme conditions such as the coldest weather in Mohe -the northernmost tip of China, hottest weather in Hainan, dry-hot weather in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and difficult conditions in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and tested critically by 97 sample vehicles traveling 3.8 million km.

The concept of "system fuel-saving" and operating philosophy of "saving is earning" was initiated for this series.

Using a low air resistance coefficient cab, fuel-saving engine, gearbox and rear axle, with integrated measures to prevent fuel and air leakage to decrease power consumption, the new concept of "system fuel-saving is real saving" is realized perfectly through this product.

Jiefang 6 has a human-oriented design concept and the pursuit of first class comfort at its core.

The driving safety features of Jiefang J6, such as full-steel cab and side impact protection, conform to the European standard ECE-R29.

For more information, please log on to: www.faw.com.cn

(China Daily 11/06/2007 page18)