ABB energized for major expansion drive

The importance of improving the environment was underlined by figures from the Ministry of Environmental Protection in February that showed 70 percent of Chinese cities failed to meet new air quality standards.

"China is the largest automotive market in the world in terms of new vehicles built at the moment," Spiesshofer said.

"If you look at the environmental situation and the technology capabilities of this country, I think this is really an opportunity for China to leapfrog other parts of the world and become a very strong player."

New-energy vehicles are one of China's seven emerging strategic industries. China is expected to have a production capacity of 2 million and a cumulative sales volume of more than 5 million by 2020.

Denza, the first electric vehicle of Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co, is designed for journeys of 200 kilometers and is among the first long-range electric vehicles to go on sale in China.

ABB has built a strong partnership with the company to supply direct-current fast chargers and develop fast-charging methods, fueling the development of this advanced electric car.

Sun Fuquan, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development in Beijing, said even though China's gross domestic product growth was lower in 2013 than in previous years, green-energy products and related investment obviously add to prosperity - and both benefit the economy and the environment in the long term.

By the end of 2013, ABB drive products had saved up to 201 billion kilowatt hours of electric power in the China market, enough to power a city of 20 million people for 2.5 years. Its high-efficiency motors also helped China save 410 million kWh of power last year, equivalent to reducing approximately 400,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

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