Chery to Offer First Plug-In Electric Car in China Around June
Sept. 3 Chery Automobile Co., China’s largest maker of own-brand cars, will start selling its first plug-in electric model around June, as the government encourages automakers to offer more environmentally friendly vehicles.
The company expects to sell about 30,000 S18s within three or four years, Fang Yunzhou, vice president of Chery’s new energy vehicle operations, said in an interview in Shanghai today. The car will cost as much as 130,000 yuan ($19,000).
China has supported automakers’ investments in alternative- energy vehicles to curb oil imports, reduce pollution and to help the local industry challenge General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. overseas. BYD Co., the Chinese automaker backed by billionaire Warren Buffett, started selling the world’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid in December.
The S18 can travel as far as 150 kilometers (93 miles) using just its batteries. Plug-in cars can be recharged from standard household powerpoints. The S18 can be fully charged in as little as four hours, according to the company.
LINK:
Chery to Offer First Plug-In Electric Car in China Around June - Bloomberg.com
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