Chery to tie up with SCI for new-energy auto project

Shanghai, August 1 (Gasgoo.com) Chinese carmaker Chery Automobile has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Structural Composites Industries LLC (SCI) of the U.S. for cooperation in the OEM project of developing new-energy vehicles, reported Shihua Financial Information today. The two sides have also discussed the application of CNG (compressed natural gas) as vehicle fuel.

According to the press release at Chery's corporate website, the MOU was jointly signed by Mr. Lu Jianhui, Vice President of Chery and Mr. Ken Miller, President & General Manager of SCI, at Chery's Automotive Engineering and Research Institute on July 25. Other top executives of both companies and some local officials of Wuhu city, where Chery Auto is headquartered, attended the signing ceremony.

Chery Auto said that its discussions and MOU signing with SCI have achieved satisfying results, because these marked a great stride in the development and promotion of China's new-energy auto industry as well as in Chery's efforts to create a world-class new-energy auto brand. Their topics covered the rational, effective application of CNG to vehicles and the related composite gas cylinder development and application technologies.

In Wuhu, a "car town" touted as a Chinese answer to Detroit, SCI's president said the company expected to apply its advanced composite gas cylinder expertise and technologies to China-made CNG cars, and hoped to establish a composite gas cylinder manufacturing facility in Chery's hometown. The two companies expressed that they would establish a long-term win-win partnership of applying new energy to vehicles.

SCI has pioneered the development of lightweight composite fuel tanks for natural gas and hydrogen powered vehicles and has recently teamed with Taylor-Wharton to provide complete turn-key solutions for the growing alternate fuel vehicle industry.