Hybrid technology, the future of China's auto industry--experts

Shanghai. September 18 (Gasgoo.com)- Hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) technology represents future of China's automobile industry, many Chinese auto experts said in a recent automobile industrial forum in Tianjin.

"The world has recognized that hydrogen fuel cell-powered automobile will be a final solution to automobile technology, but this is a distance goal. Currently HEV technology will be the best solution," many auto experts agreed at the 2007 China Auto Industry Development Forum early last week.

Automobile engineers have been working on clean diesel, hybrid technology, menthol, ethanol, bio-diesel, CNG, LNG and other alternative fuels. Government has invested a huge amount of money but none of these technologies has achieved mass production.

There are two directions in global research on auto fuel technology: one is to reform and improve the conventional gas/diesel engines, making them more energy-efficient and environment-friendly; the other is to develop new energy-powered vehicles, like hybrid, electric, hydrogen and other alternative fuel vehicles.

Currently there are only a few car models using hybrid technology, like Honda Civic, Toyota Prius and Ford Escape. However, J.D. Power predicts consumers would choose from 35 hybrid vehicles by 2011. 

In China, all major automakers FAW, SAIC, Dongfeng, Chang'an, Chery are working on HEVs. Chery. Chinese-developed hybrids will hit the market in early 2008.

"The government has entrusted us to conduct systematic assessment of all the green car technology, thus it could help guide the automakers," said Fu Lianxue, deputy minister of China Automotive Technology and Research Center.