China’s SAIC fuel cell Roewe 750

China’s Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) has completed the development of its fourth generation hydrogen powered fuel cell drivetrain that it has installed into the body of Roewe’s new 750 sedan. The vehicle was developed in a partnership with Tongji University and according to its creators, the drive is comparable with a modern gasoline powered car.

Commercial and government partners, Tong Qi’s New Energy Resources department and Shanghai Shen Li Battery Company, helped develop new heavy-duty battery technology, which enables the car to reach a maximum speed of 150km/h with a range of up to 300km/h.

There’s already a petrol-electric hybrid version of the Roewe 750 and now SAIC can add a fuel cell electric version to its lineup. Chinese website Acspy reports that the first production models could go on sale as early as 2008, however, the lack of hydrogen refuelling stations is still a major hurdle.