China is continuing to advance in its development of fuel cell technology, with scientists at Tongji University set to make ten prototypes by the end of the year.

Based near Shanghai, the team is being led by Tongji's Automobile School vice director Sun Zechang, who has developed the Surmount III fuel vehicle.

Mr Zechang told the Shanghai Star that plans were already underway for the first batch, with testing on safety and endurance set to take place in the coming months.

Together with Chinese manufacturer Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), the developers are working on how to devise a viable commercial clean vehicle.

SAIC has hailed the move, with president Hu Maoyuan noting the increasing pertinence of green vehicles "as demand for cars soars in the world's seventh largest economy".

The work with Tongji complements SAIC's existing arrangement with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and plans agreed with Volkswagen to make 500 hybrid vehicles ahead of the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

"We expect that large-scale production will start before the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai," commented Mr Maoyuan.

China has been one of the fastest growing automotive markets in the world in recent years, with the state keen to develop alternative means of automotive power as the consumer base grows.


Ÿ Adfero Ltd