By Li Zengxin (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-01-09 18:40

"The markets are waiting for a premium, environmentally friendly vehicle," said Dr Neel Sirosh, chief technology officer (CTO) of Quantum Technologies Inc. "And we are very glad to bring such a one to China," said the CTO from California-based clean energy developer and producer of green-energy fueled cars.

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In an interview with China Daily on the sidelines of a press conference for the Clean-Energy Trade Mission in Beijing today, Sirosh said their company, among the 17 US companies visiting China, India and other Asian countries led by US Department of Commerce assistant secretary David Bohigian, has been contacting and negotiating with Chinese governments and companies for more than two years.

"This time, we are here to meet with a gathering of Chinese companies to explore business opportunities for cooperation," Sirosh said. It is his sixth trip to China in the past two years.

The Chinese conference participants included officials from government offices such as the Ministry of Commerce, experts from industrial associations, executives from energy giants like PetroChina, Sinopec, China Shenhua and Huaneng Group, and representatives from large automakers including the First Automotive Work and General Motor China.

A commercial luxury plug-in hybrid electric vehicle by Fisker Automotive.

Quantum will launch a new clean-energy luxury car model, the first of its kind, at the Detroit International Auto Show next week, said Sirosh. The four-door sedan, with a plug-in hybrid electric power system, was developed by Fisker Automotive. The company is a joint venture between Quantum Fuel Systems, a subsidiary of Quantum Technologies, and Fisker Coachbuild LLC. At a price of $80,000, it falls in a price range similar to that of the BMW 5 series.