Halo Motor Co Ltd (漢能電動車有限公司) said yesterday that it was planning to establish a research center for cutting edge solar-electric vehicles (SEV) across the Taiwan Strait called Mobility Energy Research Institute in Taiwan (MERIT) in the second quarter of this year.
The Hong Kong-based company was established earlier this month to develop efficient battery technology combined with thin-film solar power, information intelligence functions and insulation technology to tap into the burgeoning SEV sector.
“We strive to capitalize on Taiwan’s high-tech edge and talent to integrate electric energy management as well as consolidate the development of prospective mobile electric energy storage technology,” the company said.
MERIT will be a specialized unit under Halo, responsible for developing sustainable green energy power for the batteries of electric vehicles and providing the public and policymakers with “green information” to facilitate the introduction of SEVs to the local market.
Expressing optimism about the future the SEV industry, Steve Chen (陳自創), managing director of the company, said the total output value of Taiwan’s “green energy” industry was expected to reach NT$1.15 trillion (US$35.8 billion) in 2015, boosting private investment by NT$200 billion.
In terms of cross-strait cooperation, Chen said that China would be responsible for mass production of SEVs, Hong Kong would serve as a marketing platform, and Taiwan would become a global innovation base for core green-energy technology development.
MERIT will likely be established at the high-tech research hubs of Taoyuan and Hisnchu or in central Taiwan, where the automobile industry is the most concentrated, the company said.
“Currently, we are looking for automobile companies that are willing to cooperate with us to tap into the SEV industry together,” Chen told reporters on the sidelines of the press conference.
“We expect to roll out an SEV with a target selling price of about US$25,000 by the end of the year,” he said, adding that the price could be below US$20,000 with marketing strategies.
Chen also called on Taiwan’s government to provide assistance in building the infrastructure required for SEVs, citing Hong Kong as a model city where battery charging stations for electric vehicles have already been built.
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