As a leader of China's homegrown auto brands, Geely is accelerating its research and development of alternative fuel vehicles. This Chinese auto maker unveiled its Detroit electric vehicle (EV) technology-based Emgrand EC7 EV, and for the first time, disclosed the progress of its Englon SC7 methanol-fueled vehicle project at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show.

Recently, Shanxi Province's trial of methanol-fueled cars was officially launched in Jinzhong City, with He Guangyuan, the former Minister of the Ministry of Machine-Building Industry, Ren Runhou, the Vice-governor of Shanxi Province, Gao Dongsheng, the Deputy Head of the Energy Division of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Liu Jinliang, the Vice President and General Manager of Sales Company of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group and other people attending the launch ceremony. During the ceremony, 100 Englon SC7 methanol-fueled taxies were put into service, leading China's trials of alternative fuel vehicles. Jinzhong City, as China's first pilot city, begins its methanol trial, which marks the beginning of China's trials of methanol-fueled cars.

Geely is the first enterprise conducting methanol-fueled vehicle R&D, as well as the first enterprise with the national qualification for methanol-fueled vehicle production. It has devoted itself to methanol-fueled vehicle R&D for nearly 8 years since 2005. The auto maker developed 27 patens and participated in two National 863 projects in the process, with its products listed in Shanghai's top ten high-tech fields and its methanol-fueled engine entitled as one of Shanghai's key new products. The Geely M100 methanol-fueled car's regular emission meets the national IV standards and its irregular emission meets the requirements of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on methanol emission limit. And the Geely M100 has a much better power performance, 5 to 10 percent higher than gasoline car with same-sized engine and 30 percent higher than CNG car with same-sized engine. Compared with a gasoline car, driving a methanol-fueled car can save you 40 to 50 percent of the fuel cost.

“Shanxi Province is the first province in china to carry out methanol-fueled vehicle R&D and promotion. With the increasingly shortage of oil resources, methanol becomes a new alternative green energy. The lunch ceremony in Jinzhong marks the beginning of Shanxi Province's trial for methanol-fueled cars. It is an honor that our company's 100 Englon SC7 methanol-fueled taxies can lead the trial of alternative fuel vehicles and become the partner of Jinzhong's methanol-fueled taxi industry. Together, we will test the feasibility of methanol as a conventional source of energy, evaluate methanol-fueled vehicle's reliability, efficiency, safety and environmental friendliness, make efforts to provide service insurance, and establish a standard system for methanol-fueled cars”, said Liu Jinliang.

“We are hoping to complete the evaluation on methanol-fueled vehicle's flexibility, reliability and environmental friendliness, and propose right suggestions for the development of methanol-fueled vehicles through two or three years' trials. The trials will promote the development of methanol-fueled vehicles and alternative automobile fuels, as well as help improve our energy security”, Gao Dongsheng indicated.

In 2012, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said in a statement that it would launch the trials of methanol-fueled cars in Shaanxi Province, Shanxi Province and Shanghai City, and then it held the Meeting about Drawing up Implementation Plan for Trials of Methanol-fueled Vehicles in Beijing. In early 2013, the Ministry held the discussion meeting on the implementation plans for trials of methanol-fueled vehicles of Shanghai City and Jinzhong City of Shanxi Province. In February of 2013, the General Office of the State Council defined in a statement of strengthening energy conservation and emission reduction of combustion engine that petrol or methanol dual-fuel SI combustion engine was included in the alternative fuel combustion engine trial project under the category of key combustion engine project, which will further promote the development methanol-fueled cars.

Jinzhong City has put 100 Englon SC7 methanol-fueled taxies into operation, and Shanghai City and Shaanxi Province are preparing for the trials. Furthermore, Shanghai City will launch its trial of methanol-fueled cars in the near future.