Key Electric Car Projects for the Olympics to debut at Expo
By Peng Wenyan (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2004-05-19 16:28

At the 7th High-tech Expo, "Key Electric Car Projects for the High-tech Beijing Olympics" will make their debut, showcasing eight electric passenger cars and highlighting the many electric-car achievements in terms of scientific research and industrialization over the past 10 years.

The electric car project was incorporated into the "Strategic Issue on the Nation's Science and Technology Plan in China" during the Eighth Five-Year Plan period (1991-1995), with an emphasis on the key technology in the field. The development of electric cars was formally listed into the nation's key high-tech engineering projects of the Ninth Five-Year Plan (1996-2000), including research on electric concept cars (and related technology), developing reconditioned electric cars, constructing sample zones, and exploring operating systems, policy and technological standards.

With 10 years of development, China has achieved many forms of key technology in overall design, exclusive engines, control systems, car and cell management, such as small nickel-hydrogen cells, Li-ion cells, and the localization of its main materials. Over 1,000 electric cars will be put into operation during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, mainly serving the Olympic Games Village and routes to other Olympic venues.

As an important initial achievement in electric car development and trial runs, four models -- including four pure electric tourist passenger cars, five pure electric low-floor buses, 15 pure electric quasi-low-floor buses and eight pure electric mid-level buses -- have been developed based on a cooperation.

In addition, two electric city buses have been making trial runs for nearly two years, covering 60,000 km and accumulating valuable research data in terms of driving, operations, and repair and maintenance.

Beginning this month, 20 electric buses will be merged with existing vehicles on route 121 in the first phase of the project; an independent transport pool comprising about 40 electric cars will be put into operation in the second phase.

Furthermore, a 24,000-square-meter electric-car production base, located in the Beijing Miyun County Industrial Development Zone, has been established with a capacity of 1,000 units per annum.

Meanwhile, the Beijing (Miyun) Electric Car Operation Trial Example Zone will be set up to explore the social conditions and necessary infrastructural establishment of electric-car development and accumulate practical experience in operations and management within a regional area.

Currently, an electric-car operating company and an energy company responsible for electric-car's operations and infrastructural establishment management have been founded in the sample zone.

Eight electric mid-sized buses and four electric passenger cars for tourists will be put into trial testing this month, followed by other models, such as multipurpose cars.

Exhibitors will include the Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing Keling Electric Car Co Ltd, Beijing Shouke Group Company and the Beijing Public Transportation Corporation, to name a few.

Statistics show that China became a large petroleum-importing country in 1994, with 270 million tons consumed in 2003 -- 100 million tons (equal to Koweit's annual production) of which were imported -- costing over US$80 billion.

Despite a production of 150-170 million tons of petroleum per year, China is expected to consume 300 million tons of petroleum in 2004.

The global petroleum supply is expected to last only for about 40 years, with an expected production summit anticipated around 2010. As a result, increasing mining costs will further reduce the existing petroleum's effective usage time.