Chinese engineers have noticeably raised the control, running, security and fuel performances of electric vehicles, using electricity-electricity drive solution. Chinese made prototype fuel battery sedan cars and buses made their debut at a world hydrogen energy conference held in May 2004 in Beijing. The Chinese made fuel battery sedan cars landed best scores in 5 of 7 measuring indicators (high speed S obstacle crossing, noise level, tail emission, energy consumption, and greenhouse gases reduction). Chinese made fuel battery buses also scored fine in technological performance and reliability, at a Michelin Challenge Bibendum for clean automobiles held in October, 2004.
In the field of hybrid cars, Chinese engineers have completed the prototype development in diverse specifications, and began to work on performance prototypes and the associated industrial standards. A line of technological innovations have been made in control and hybrid coupling structures. On November 8, 2003, Hubei Province staged a demonstration of six hybrid buses developed by the Dongfeng Electric Automobile Co. Ltd.. The six buses had a test run for more than 300,000 km, carrying 500 ,000 person/time, on a combined basis. Comparing with ECE solutions, hybrid sedan cars showed an increased fuel efficiency by 40%. Chang?¯an Company has successfully developed the second round of functional prototypes and the third round of performance prototypes, using ISG solution. It also rolled out the first hybrid engine in the country, with its dynamic performance tested by the state authorities approaching the level of the reference cars, a reduced gas consumption by 17%, and a tail emission reaching Euro III Standard.
In the area of pure electric vehicles, the Chinese made electric sedan cars and buses have been tested by the State Quality Control Center, with all indicators up to the national and industrial standards. The pure electric sedan cars developed by Tianjin Qingyuan Electric Automobile Co. Ltd. have seen greatly enhanced dynamic performance, economics, consecutive mileage performance, and noise level. Following an export of 6 electric sedan cars to the US, Qingyuan signed another export contract with a US buyer for some 100 similar vehicles. Beijing Polytechnical University has completed the construction of a production base for electric automobiles in Miyun, Beijing. Its products have passed the verification checks organized by the Beijing Bus Company on December 30, 2003. Some 40 commuter buses in four specifications have been put into demonstration operation.
Chinese engineers also landed breakthroughs in mastering key technologies for making large power hydrogen-air fuel battery. The fuel battery engines with a net output of 30kw, 60kw and 100kw have passed the strict tests respectively at the Tongji and Tsinghua Universities?¯ fuel battery engine testing bases. The loaded fuel battery sedan cars have registered a mileage over 4,000 km, and fuel battery buses over 8,000 km, on a combined basis.
As for the power battery, Chinese researchers have worked extensively to raise the electric performance, security, and lifespan of power batteries. Their in-depth study of electric performance, work performance, shock resistance, and comprehensive technical indicators of the programmed management system has noticeably raised the performance of high power nickel-hydrogen and lithium cells to meet the basic requirements of vehicle operation. The high power nickel-hydrogen cells (8Ah) developed by Beijing Polytechnical University have a raised power density of 932w/kg, an internationally advanced level. Some of the nickel-hydrogen cells have recorded a cycle life over 1,500 times, with all other qualified performance indicators.
Apart from the above mentioned accomplishments, Chinese engineers have also rolled out special motors at the 50kw and 100kw levels to meet the basic requirements of commuter buses and the associated control system.
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