Aussie technology for Chinese cars

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http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-new...0310-pz1t.html

Aussie technology for Chinese cars

RICHARD BLACKBURN
March 11, 2010

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Senator Kim Carr.

Perth technology company wins lucrative Chinese engine deal.

A Perth company has won a $440,000 grant to help a Chinese car maker cut its CO2 emissions.

Orbital Australia, which is also working on a new liquid injection LPG system for the Ford Falcon, will use the grant to develop a new engine management and combustion system for Chinese car maker Changan Automobile.

The grant is part of the federal government's $1.3 billion Green Car Innovation Fund.

Orbital said its direct injection technology would be applied to Changan's four-cylinder petrol engine to produce a car that complied with more strict Chinese fuel economy standards.

Changan is China's fourth largest automaker with sales of more than 1.8 million units last financial year. It aims to sell about 2.2 million vehicles this year.

Innovation minister, Kim Carr, said the project was an important step towards building stronger ties between the Australian automotive sector and the booming Chinese car industry.

"Increasing the amount of Australian-made automotive products being sold in China and other major markets is an important goal for this Government - that is why I and Trade Minister Simon Crean visited China last year," Senator Carr said.

"The Australian automotive industry, and companies such as Orbital, has a vital role to play in developing innovative systems and components for green cars world-wide," he said.

Orbital produces fuel injection technology for power skis, motorbikes and motor scooters. It is also sitting on technology that will allow vehicles to use compressed natural gas — the same gas used to cook food or warm a house — as a fuel source.

It is working with Ford Australia to develop a liquid injection system for its EGas Falcon that can significantly improve fuel economy and performance. Orbital says the new version of the EGas dedicated LPG Falcon will launch late this year.

Orbital chief executive Terry Stinson told an analysts' briefing last week that initial feedback from customers using LLi, as the direct-injection LPG system is known, was ''quite positive''.

''The key to customer satisfaction in this market is to ensure that your vehicle fitted with the LLi system still starts, drives, sounds and runs exactly like it does on petrol,'' he said. ''That's what our system will do for consumers.''

He said Orbital would eventually roll out kits to cover more models.