Dongfeng tests China's first electric trucks

Shanghai, May 14 (Gasgoo.com) Dongfeng Motor Corporation, through one of its subsidiaries, started a trial of China's first zero-emission electric delivery trucks in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province late last week, Beijing Time reported.

Two light electric trucks, each of which costs 300,000 yuan (US$42,860) but may fall to 200,000 yuan after full production, reportedly takes five hours to charge and that its range is between 100km and 150km, and has a top speed of 80 km/h. The report said the vehicle only carries a load of 1 ton.

But in the meantime the automaker is expecting policy and funding supports from the government.

"The government hasn't issued rules on regulating electric vehicles and we hope special policies can be mapped out to support such vehicles' normal operation," said Dongfeng Automobile CEO Zhu Fushou.

Zhu said R&D costs of the electric trucks "are four times higher than those of fuel vehicles and batteries also cost a lot.