Pihsiang in Taiwan and SAIC of Shanghai to Tie Up in EV Biz: EDN

Taipei, Dec. 4, 2009 (CENS)--Pihsiang Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd. of Taiwan, the world's largest maker of electric healthcare scooters that has been actively developing lithium-ion battery and electric-vehicle (EV) products, recently claimed that it would tie up with major Chinese carmaker Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) Group in the EV business, according to Chinese-language economic daily newspaper Economic Daily News (EDN).

The EDN said that Pihsiang's general manager Jenny Wu announced that her company would provide the needed lithium-ion batteries and key EV modules to SAIC, and the two parties may set up an EV factory in China.

Wu stressed that Pihsiang and SAIC have signed a letter of intent (LOI) and intelligence agreement for future partnerships, saying that SAIC has been aggressively seeking qualified supplier of li-ion batteries and key EV modules, finally choosing Pihsiang as a partner.

The GM noted that Pihsiang and SAIC are still negotiating the final cooperation mode, with a possibility being to set up an EV factory in China with Pihsiang supplying the techniques while SAIC capitalization.

For the World Expo 2010 Shanghai, Wu said, SAIC would provide dozens of all-electric patrol vehicles, with Pihsiang supplying the battery packs and key modules.

Immediately after the Conference on Cross-strait Cooperation and Exchange in the Automobile (including Battery Energy Storage) Industry, held on December 23 to 25, Pihsiang invited SAIC's representative to test drive the company's EVs, including e-bikes, e-scooters, and battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

A senior executive of SAIC said the group just founded a new-energy business division to focus on development of BEV, hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), fuel-cell technology etc., saying a quality and stable partner is very important to gain a high share in the burgeoning EV market in China.