China to push alternative-energy vehicles

[Dover]

China to push alternative-energy vehicle

By Tian Ying

Bloomberg News

China, the world’s second-biggest oil user, plans to have 60,000 alternative-energy vehicles on the roads in 10 cities by 2012 to cut pollution and fuel imports.

The government will support automakers research in the area through financial assistance and preferential policies, Science Minister Wan Gang said in Chongqing on Friday. It may also give subsidies and tax breaks to organizations and people buying the vehicles, said Wang Baoan, a Finance Ministry official.

Running alternative-fuel vehicles in government-funded projects is the most efficient way of promoting the development of the technology, Wan said. The government is seeking other cities in which to implement similar programs, he said.

China has encouraged local automakers to invest in developing hybrid cars and fuel cells to help reduce emissions, and because of rising global demand for fuel-efficient cars. Global vehicle ownership is likely to rise 22 percent to about 1 billion by 2020, according to General Motors Corp.

cont'd

http://www.projo.com/projocars/content/ca_chinaalts_11-29-08_ADCEJK4_v8.262a4b5.html

[DCKit]

1. All those cheap, electric toy cars China produces for WalMart...

and they have to spend govt. money on studies and development?

There is no excuse for anything but the battery to add, in any way, to the cost of going electric. Compared to the internal combustion engine, transmission and all the associated systems in a conventional vehicle, electric is an elementary school science project.

It's all hinging on battery development.

[Dover]

2. I never thought of "pushing" as an alternative energy.

But if anyone has the manpower to do it, China does.

Yabba-Dabba-Doooo!