Recently, eight departments, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology ("MIIT"), have distributed the Guiding Opinions on Initiating the Application of Methanol Fueled Vehicles in Some Regions (the "Opinions").
The Opinions call for efforts to: 1. accelerate building the manufacturing system for methanol fueled vehicles; 2. advance the building of the production and fueling system for methanol fuels; 3. establish a framework of standards as soon as possible; 4. spur the application of methanol fueled vehicles; and 5. tighten regulation of methanol fueled vehicles. The Opinions expressly state that automakers and manufacturers of relevant spare parts are encouraged to, on the basis of the current manufacturing system and in consideration of characteristics of methanol fueled vehicles, conduct technological transformation to improve the manufacturing system for methanol fueled vehicles, enhance their technological capacity for manufacturing methanol fueled vehicles, and develop methanol fueled vehicles and power machinery, such as passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles and non-road engineering vehicles, to meet market demands. Moreover, the Opinions state that the application of M100 methanol fueled cars will be pushed ahead faster in some regions where there are relatively favorable resource conditions and there has been experience in putting methanol fueled vehicles into use, including Shanxi, Shaanxi, Guizhou and Gansu. Also, regions where conditions permit are encouraged to use methanol fueled vehicles for official business, taxi business, short-distance passenger transport and in other fields.