Buses that run on electricity generated by solar photovoltaic cells have been launched for the first time in a city in northeast China. The buses were manufactured in Qiqihar in Heilongjiang province.
Produced by the Heilongjiang Qiqiar Longhua New Energy Automobile Co. Ltd., the buses can accommodate a maximum 100 passengers. Company technicians said solar energy can prolong the life of the lithium batteries used to power the bus by 35 percent. The buses consume 0.6 to 0.7 kilowatt-hours of electricity per km.
The industrial park was built in 2010 with an investment of 2.1 billion yuan ($330 million).
