Jane Lai

    WITH this year’s China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF) highlighting new energy and low-carbon elements, automakers told a forum they were developing more new-energy vehicles.

    The new energy and low-carbon development forum was held yesterday at Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, the CHTF’s main venue. “The world’s limited energy is telling us the gasoline era is fading away and we have to rely on new energy such as electricity, solar and wind power,” said Wang Chuanfu, CEO of BYD, a world leading nickel-metal-hydride batteries.

    Shenzhen-based BYD has brought its latest products, including the 100-percent electric K9 bus, the dual-mode F3DM hybrid and the electric e6 car to the CHTF. More new-energy vehicles would also be launched, Wang said.

    Such vehicles would help deal with energy crisis and urban pollution, as well as offer electric public transportation, Wang said. BYD launched the world’s first plug-in electric car, the F3DM, on the market in 2008. It has since been well received by Chinese government agencies and corporate bigwigs.

    It can run 96 kilometers on a single charge and has a top speed of 160 km/h. Such dual-mode hybrids need special charging stations to recharge and BYD is building more such stations in the city, Wang said.

    “More automakers are aware of new-energy elements, but our core technology and experienced research team are our big advantages,” Wang said.

    The forum offered a platform for automakers and new-energy enthusiasts from home and abroad to share their experiences and work together to protect the environment and save energy, agreed Wang Jiang’an, president of Ankai Automobile Group, Anil Kane, chairman of World Wind Energy Association and Ashok Bhargava, director of East Asia Department’s Energy Sector.