The first batch of 1.2THP engines, produced by Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile Co Ltd, departed from the Yangluo Port in Wuhan, on July 6, 2017. [Photo/dpca.com.cn]

The first batch of 1.2THP engines, produced by Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile Co Ltd, have been shipped for the European market, the Chutian Metropolis Daily reported.

The containers, carrying 936 engines, departed from the Yangluo Port in Wuhan on July 6, and will arrive at the Antwerp Port, in Belgium, through the Marine Silk Road.

The 1.2THP engine has won the "International Engine of the Year" award by Engine Technology International magazine in the 1.0 liter to 1.4 liter category for three consecutive years.

The PSA Group has five engine factories worldwide, among which only two can produce the 1.2THP engine. The first factory is in France and the second is the Xiangyang factory of Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile.

As cars equipped with the 1.2THP engine sell well in Europe, the French factory's capacity is insufficient and needs more imports from China.

In September, the Xiangyang factory received an order for 60,000 engines from the PSA Group. The factory assembled six sample engines in November and did not receive any complaint. "It means Chinese engines have reached the same manufacturing level as Europe," Fu Weimin, Xiangyang factory director, said.

The engines have been equipped in Peugeot 2008, 308 and 408 models, as well as Citroen C4L models. After being exported to Europe, the engines will be put onto the European market and used in the European version 3008 and C4L models.