Chery Auto to start selling electric car S18 in H2

Shanghai, July 26 (Gasgoo.com) Chery Auto, China's largest independent carmaker, is set to start selling its first plug-in electric car model S18 in the second half of this year as the government has announced its plans to support and subsidize more eco-friendly vehicles, media reported today.

The company expects to sell about 30,000 S18 electric cars annually within three or four years, an executive of Chery's new energy vehicle operations said earlier. The car will cost as much as 130,000 yuan ($19,200). Chery unveiled the S18 model in February 2009.

The Chery S18 can travel as far as 150km (93 miles) using just its batteries. Plug-in cars can be recharged from standard household outlets. The S18 can be fully charged in 4-6 six hours. Chery has already put on sale its A5 BSG and QQEV low-speed electric vehicles, and more EV models will be released.

China has been supporting its automakers' investments in new-energy vehicles, reduce pollution and to help boost the local industry's global competitiveness. Chery has five models listed among the country's first batch of clean vehicle models for mass production.

The new subsidies announced by the government will not only prompt automakers to manufacture more fuel-efficient vehicles but also make considerable progress in terms of technology and reduced emissions, analysts said.  

Chery Auto will join hands with U.S. Better Place, an electric vehicle infrastructure provider, in the R&D of electric cars and charging network. The Chery switchable-battery electric car will be launched to the market in 2012.