Common Types of Cars During the Republic of China Era

[DiEmilia]

Here is an introduction to the common cars during the Republic of China era: 1. Ford Model T: When it comes to the Ford Model T, those familiar with automotive history will certainly recognize it. Produced by the Ford Motor Company starting in 1908, this lightweight family car was the world's first vehicle to use standardized parts and be assembled via mass production on an assembly line. It was relatively affordable, stylish, and fuel-efficient, consuming only about 7-8 liters per 100 kilometers. While such fuel efficiency may not seem impressive today, it was groundbreaking at the time, easily outperforming all competitors. For context, the average fuel consumption of a 1930 Citroën sedan was over 10 liters per 100 kilometers, while the 1931 domestically assembled Minsheng-brand truck in China averaged 30 liters per 100 kilometers (with a payload of just 1.8 tons). 2. Minsheng Model 75 Truck: China's automotive industry started late. In 1928, Marshal Zhang Xueliang, then in charge of Northeast China's military and political affairs, allocated 800,000 silver dollars for an attempt to manufacture cars. After three years of effort and with the help of foreign engineers, a light truck was assembled—its engine and all electrical components were imported. In 1932, the Shanxi Automobile Repair Factory produced a Shanxi-brand car, though all core components were imported. In 1936, the Hunan Machinery Factory rolled out the first domestically produced bus, labeled as 'domestic' but still assembled from imported parts. Until the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, not a single 'independently developed' car was produced. 3. Ford Cars: The 1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I could reach speeds of up to 120 km/h but was prohibitively expensive; only one existed in China, owned by a foreigner. The 1929 Bentley Blower, capable of 160 km/h and considered the fastest in the world, was equally expensive and never made it to China during the Republic of China era. The only luxury car accessible to a very few Chinese was the Lincoln. The dominant car brands in the market were Ford, Chevrolet, and Citroën. In 1932, global car sales totaled 70,000 units, with Ford selling 30,000, Chevrolet and Citroën combined selling 20,000, and all other brands together accounting for the remaining 20,000.