"SAIC will introduce its first pure electric car, the Roewe E50, this November and we expect 1,000 of them to be sold within a year," Ling added.

He said that the Roewe 750, running on a combination of batteries and conventional engines, will cost about 230,000 yuan, but with potential government subsidies, consumers in Shanghai could buy it for about 210,000 yuan, "a very attractive price".

China has been pushing the development of electric vehicles to cut emissions and conserve energy.

The nation expects production and sales of electrical vehicles to reach 500,000 units in 2015, and to five million by 2020.

In June, the Ministry of Finance said that the central government will allocate 1 to 2 billion yuan annually to support the development and production of greener vehicles.

Zhang Shaochun, deputy minister of finance, said the government will also promote the use of hybrid buses in large and medium-sized cities.

Visitors watch a robot charging for an electric car at the 2012 China International Green Vehicle Industry Expo in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Aug 10. China expects production and sales of electric vehicles to reach 5 million by 2020. [Photo/China Daily]

A model poses beside an electric car at the 2012 China International Green Vehicle Industry Expo in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Aug 10. China expects production and sales of electric vehicles to reach 5 million by 2020. [Photo/China Daily]

xieyu@chinadaily.com.cn

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