A project owned by Beijing Electric Vehicles Company (BJEV) won the first prize of Beijing Science and Technology Awards, the top award in science and technology in Beijing, at the Beijing Science and Technology Award Conference held in Beijing on Feb 5.

A total of 11 projects from BDA-based companies won the prizes.

BJEV, the electric car-making arm of Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Corp (BAIC), is one of the leading new-energy carmakers in China.

The company will set up a technological innovation center worth 1.5 billion yuan ($217 million) in Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (BDA for short) to boost innovation and scientific and technological breakthroughs.

The innovation center, wholly invested by BAIC BJEV, will cover an area of more than 40,000 square meters. Striving to become one of the leading global innovation centers, the center will concentrate on developing demonstration bases for new energy automobiles, smart transportation systems and the internet of things (IoT).

An assembly line producing electric vehicles is seen at a factory of Beijing Electric Vehicles Company (BJEV), in Beijing. [Photo/Agencies]