Electric Taxis Roll Out In China
The Chinese city of Shenzen recieved a fleet of 40 electric taxicabs last week, marking a historic milestone for China and electric vehicles. The taxis, made by Chinese automaker BYD have a top speed of 140 km/h, and are capable of getting 300 miles on a single charge.BYD, backed by American investor Warren Buffet, is planning to launch its cars in the U.S. market in late 2010, becoming one of the first makers of all-electric vehicles.
BYD also expects Shenzen to have 100 electric taxis running by the end of June. With a population of over 1 billion, poor air quality due to coal-fired power plants and rising energy costs, China is the perfect market for electric vehicles, and it would not be unreasonable to see BYD and other Chinese automakers make significant moves towards promoting electric vehicles both at home and abroad.
[Source: Autospies]
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