Qingyuan to boost E-car sales in U.S. this year

Shanghai, January 6 (Gasgoo.com) Chinese electric car maker Tianjin Qingyuan Electric Vehicle Co. hopes to sell 3,000 self-made electric vehicles mostly in the United States in 2010, up 50% from its EV sales there in the past five years, Reuters reported today, citing an industry source.

Qingyuan, located in north China's Tianjin city, near Beijing, is also seeking opportunities to tap the fledgling green car market in Europe. The company is rather positive on the outlook of its export business as market potential for green cars in the U.S. and Europe is huge, said the source.

A Reuters report in mid-September 2009 said that Tianjin Qingyuan was in talks with Daimler AG to develop an electric version of a van made at Fujian Daimler Auto, the German automaker's joint venture in southeast China's Fujian province.

As the first Chinese company that has sold more than 2,000 self-made electric vehicles in the U.S. since 2005, Tianjin Qingyuan is seeking to team up with big domestic and foreign automakers in expanding the booming green car business.

Qingyuan is also exploring cooperation in the green car business with Beijing Hyundai. Chery Auto and several other Chinese carmakers are also among Qingyuan's potential partners.