Solar buses roll off production line in NE China

HARBIN -- The country's first hybrid buses with solar panels were manufactured in the city of Qiqihar in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province on Wednesday.

The buses were produced in a new industrial park belonging to Heilongjiang Longhua New Energy Automobile Co Ltd.

Solar energy can prolong the life of the lithium batteries used to power the bus by 35 percent, with the buses consuming 0.6 to 0.7 kilowatt-hours of electricity per kilometer, according to company technicians.

The solar photovoltaic-powered electric buses can accommodate a maximum 100 passengers.

The industrial park represents Heilongjiang's largest new energy project, built in 2010 with an investment of 2.1 billion yuan ($329 million).

The park is expected to aggregate automobile enterprises in the province so as to become an emerging new energy automobile production base in China.