China's top quality certification body will soon issue its first batch of green auto certificates to manufacturers of energy-saving and environmentally friendly cars.

 

The move by the China Quality Certification Centre, the first time a government-related body has issued such certificates, will also see the organization unveil a "green auto" logo.

 

An insider at the centre, which has been authorized to issue the certificates by China's Certification and Accreditation Administration (CAA), said the names of the "green autos" would be announced on Saturday, the media day at Auto China 2006 in Beijing.

 

The official, who wished to remain anonymous, said that virtually all of China's auto manufacturers, both joint ventures and domestic firms, had applied for the certification.

 

However, he refused to disclose the number of the issued certificates, or the models and manufacturers which have applied for the certification.

 

According to the centre, the logo will allow consumers to immediately tell which vehicles offer superior performance in terms of saving energy and less harmful exhaust emissions.

 

The certification is part of a major government drive to build an energy-saving society, and it is hoped that this will encourage motorists to purchase more environmentally friendly cars.

 

The centre tested the vehicles' fuel consumption, exhaust emissions, internal and external noise, and internal air pollution.

 

Certified manufacturers will also undergo further monitoring to ensure that they maintain their high standards.

 

A regulation on the certification of energy-saving and environmentally friendly vehicles was issued this July and implemented on September 1 by the CAA.

 

However, some industry analysts think that the center's tests are much stricter than the requirements set out in the regulation.

 

(China Daily November 16, 2006)