China aims to be world pacemaker of new-energy auto production

April’s Auto Shanghai 2009 show highlights the use of energy-saving automobiles, with several well-known auto-makers, including GM and Ford, set to announce new products.

For many Chinese exhibitors this will also be a good platform to show new-energy products. Domestic carmakers including Geely and BYD announced earlier that they would unveil new-energy vehicles, while the country’s first hybrid sport utility vehicle (SUV) CS7 is expected to make its debut.

New-energy autos mainly refer to electric vehicles (EV) — driven by an onboard power generator; hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) — which combine two or more propulsion system and can save as much as 40 percent of the fuel, and hydrogen or solar energy cars.
Xinhua