HEFEI -- China's automaker Chery Auto and Bayer Group have jointly set up a lab to research and develop lightweight materials for automobiles, Chery announced Friday.

"The establishment of the lab with Bayer MaterialScience is an important step for Chery Auto on the research and development of automobile material technologies," said Jin Yibo, a spokesman with Chery Auto.

Related readings:  China carmaker Chery sales up 26% in Mar  Chery generates record sales in Jan  Bayer to expand in China  Bayer HealthCare relocates

"Chery Auto aims to promote automobile lightweight technologies and develop energy-saving and environmentally friendly lightweight automobiles with the help of Bayer technologies," Jin added.

Bayer MaterialScience, a branch company of Germany-based Bayer Group, is a renowned supplier of high-performance materials and is among the world's largest producers of polymer.

Jin said Chery Auto and Bayer MaterialScience will jointly conduct research on applications of a wide range of materials such as polycarbonates and polyurethanes on automobiles.

The Wuhu-based automaker in East China's Anhui province started research on automobile lightweight materials in 2000, according to Jin.

The company is working with China's leading steel makers such as Baosteel Group Corp and Wuhan Iron and Steel Group on the research, development and application of high-intensity materials, the spokesman said.