A fleet of hybrid, clean energy fuel-cell buses can be expected to be operating by 2009 in Shanghai, said the fuel cell bus commercialization organizers.

The bus station is capable of refueling three fuel buses or 20 fuel cell cars at a time. Shanghai has also planned the second of such refueling station, which is possible to be built in the World Expo. Park, said sources with the Shanghai Municipal Government at the launch of the second phase of a fuel-cell bus commercialization project in Shanghai on Thursday.

The project was jointly carried out by the United Nations Development Program and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The first phase of fuel-cell bus commercialization started in Beijing in 2002. Three buses have been operating during weekdays along an 18.2 km route in the national capital.

The second phase of the project is still aimed at demonstration, based on which the project organizers will mull how best to spread the technology.

"Fuel-cell vehicles are an important technology for the future development of the automotive industry in China," said Minister Wang Gang at the launch ceremony in Shanghai on Thursday.

China's automotive industry has spent 20 years working on the environmentally-friendly technology. The development of Fuel Cell Hybrid City Bus has been listed in China's National 863 Key Projects.

The first three fuel cell buses in China were imported Daimler-Chrysler.
 

Copyright 2007 XINHUA NEWS AGENCY.