China invites Spain to join its Electric Vehicle Industry Alliance

Shanghai January 5 (Gasgoo.com) The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) aims to invite Spain to join its Electric Vehicle Industry Alliance, Miguel Sebastian, Minister of the Spanish Industry, Tourism and Trade, told First Financial Daily during his recent visit to China.

The Electric Vehicle Industry Alliance, which consists of 16 China's centrally-administered state-owned enterprises (SOEs), was founded in Beijing on August 18, 2010. The alliance's short-term goal is to promote the unification of electric car-related technologies, and its medium- and long-term goal is to master the core technology for electric vehicles and build internationally competitive Chinese electric car brands, according to an early report from People's Daily.

The SASAC has briefed Miguel Sebastian about its setting up the association and expects cooperation with the Spanish government in relevant fields, including automotive parts and components, the Minister revealed, adding that the cooperation has not yet been finalized.

The former SASAC Director Li Rongrong earlier said the Electric Vehicle Industry Alliance is an open platform, and may extend its warm welcome to the local state-owned enterprises, local private enterprises and even foreign enterprises after a certain period of development. 

In this sense, the invitation to Spain might be part of that plan.

Spain has no vehicle manufacturers, but its automotive parts and components industry is rather developed, making it the second-largest auto industrial country in Europe. Electric vehicles are highly complex and technological, relative to development of vehicles, energy and other technologies. There is also such a platform in Spain that enables full collaboration among research institutions, private companies, and government departments to work together, Miguel Sebastian said.

Meanwhile, Miguel Sebastian disclosed that the Spanish government will grant 80 million euros ($106 million) in subsidies for electric vehicle buyers in 2011, and expects to put 20,000 electric vehicles on roads this year. Spain hopes to locally build electric vehicles as well, expecting Chinese auto manufacturers to invest in related projects in the country, he added.