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Environmentally-friendly buses ordered for expo
By Chen Qide (China Daily Shanghai Bureau)
Updated: 2009-07-29 09:53

Shanghai Dazhong Transportation Group signed an agreement with Shanghai Leibo New Energy Auto Technology on Tuesday ordering 10 electric-powered buses for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.

"The buses are suitable for the expo, for it gives off no pollution and noise," said Yang Guoping, president of Shanghai Dazhong Transportation Group.

The buses developed by Leibo - a joint venture funded by State Grid and Shanghai Ruihua Company at an investment of 90 million yuan - are powered by cells and electric capacity and can drive at a speed of up to 110 kms per hour.

The vehicles, which have to be charged over night for four hours, can travel for up to 250 kms at a time daily without giving off pollution or noise.

Dazhong Transportation Group put its first 10 buses of the kind into service today to test their functions, said Yang.

Shuai Hongyuan, general manager of Shanghai Leibo, said the company plans to collect 4 billion yuan within the next three years by risk investment and by its plans for further growth in its production capacity.

"We aim to reach sales of 30 billion yuan within five years by new investment," he said.

Shuai said Shanghai plans to use 1100 such new energy-powered vehicles in the next three years for its environmental protection purpose.