Chery plans to mass produce hybrid vehicles by 2010

Shanghai. November 15 (Gasgoo.com) - By 2010 half of Chery-made vehicles will be hybrid and 20 percent of Chery-made vehicles will be powered by new energy,  an official from Chery said at an international forum on renewable energy held in Beijing, China's Securities Journal reported today.

"New energy is a driving force for the sustainable development of auto industry, by 2010 more than fifty percent vehicles produced by Chery will be equipped with hybrid systems, and half of those vehicles will be powered by new energy," said Liu Zhijia, an engineer with the National Research Center for Clean Vehicles and Assistant General Manager of Chery Automobile Company, during the forum, which was organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission earlier this week.

 

He said Chery's development plan for the hybrid technologies can be outlined in the following three phases: Firstly, to start production of mild hybrid sedans by 2008, which are expected to reduce emissions of Chery vehicles by 10% to 30%; secondly, to develop and mass produce full hybrid vehicles and electric/alcohol vehicles by 2010 when Chery will sell half of its vehicles powered by hybrid engine; and lastly to develop hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by 2015.

 

Also at the forum, vice-minister for science and technology Cao Jianlin said the government will provide additional funding for research projects and offer preferential tax rates for those involved in the development and use of renewable energy, as part of its development plan for renewable energy launched in June.

 

The plan aims to increase the proportion of renewable energy to 10 percent of total consumption by 2010, and to 16 percent by 2020, Cao said. It currently accounts for just 1 percent.

 

He said the energy policy will give priority support to five fields - solar power, biomass fuels, wind power, hydrogen energy and natural gas utilization.