Shanghai, April 8 (Gasgoo.com) China's auto giant SAIC Motor plans to launch its first self-developed hybrid car this year and a plug-in hybrid car by 2012, Reuters reported today, citing a senior executive of the company.
As part of its plans to develop new-energy vehicles, SAIC aims to put its Roewe 750 hybrid to the market later this year, a model with its energy saving rate reaching 20%. To support the upcoming Shanghai World Expo 2010, SAIC will offer about a thousand clean energy vehicles to the event.
By 2012, SAIC will release its Roewe 550 plug-in Active Hybrid, with its energy saving rate hitting 50%, and its all-electric car will also be available with zero emission, the company said earlier to Xinhua News.
SAIC is also in talks with new potential partners on developing eco-friendly vehicles, Shui Fang, director of the alternative vehicle powertrain department at SAIC Motor's parent company, told Reuters.
In January 2009, SAIC Motor and its parent SAIC Group inaugurated a powertrain joint venture, Shanghai Jieneng Automotive Technology Co., to develop both hybrid and electric powertrains.
