In which year was China's first automobile manufactured?
3 Answers
The first domestically produced automobile in China was the CA10 Jiefang truck, manufactured by Changchun First Automobile Works on July 13, 1956. The Jiefang CA10 new truck was an improved version of the Soviet ZIS-150 truck, equipped with a 5.6L inline six-cylinder gasoline engine with a maximum power of 90 horsepower at 2400 rpm. The engine used a platinum ignition system, requiring manual adjustment of the platinum gap for ignition. It was paired with a 5-speed manual transmission, achieving a top speed of 65 km/h and an average fuel consumption of 29L per 100 km. The CA10 had an empty weight of 3900 kg and a payload capacity of 4000 kg. The Jiefang CA10 featured a long-nose design with an 8-bar front grille and tungsten filament headlights. It utilized a 4×2 rear-wheel-drive layout with a multi-leaf spring rear suspension and dual rear tires to ensure load capacity, a design still commonly used in modern trucks. The interior of the CA10 was extremely basic, serving purely as a transport vehicle without any comfort features.
China's first automobile was born in 1956, specifically on July 13th, when it rolled off the production line at the First Automobile Works in Changchun. That Jiefang truck marked the pioneering work of New China's automotive industry. I usually enjoy reading history books and learned that back then, just after the founding of New China, there was an urgent need to develop industry. FAW was built with the help of the Soviet Union, and the Jiefang truck symbolized the spirit of self-reliance. However, many people mistakenly think the earliest was a passenger car, but in fact, the Dongfeng sedan didn't appear until 1958, becoming the first domestically produced passenger car. I find this piece of history quite fascinating—it paved the way for later brands like Hongqi and allowed China to grow from scratch into a major automotive power step by step. If you visit Changchun, you can still see the related memorial museum, which is worth a visit.
As a car enthusiast, I've always followed the history of China's automotive development. The first domestically produced vehicle was the Jiefang truck, which debuted in 1956. It rolled off the assembly line on July 13th that year—not a sedan but a truck, reflecting the industrial priorities of early New China. I learned it was adapted from the Soviet GAZ model but fully localized, marking China's zero breakthrough in automobile manufacturing. Technically speaking, this vehicle was simple and durable, with an engine producing less than 100 horsepower, yet it supported infrastructure and transportation needs. Later in 1958, the Dongfeng sedan filled the gap in passenger vehicles, but the birth of Jiefang was the foundational milestone. Today, China has become a global automotive powerhouse, making this historical moment particularly meaningful to reflect upon.
