Shanghai GM to build vehicle proving ground

Shanghai, December 16 (Gasgoo.com) Shanghai General Motors (SGM) Guangde Vehicle Proving Ground was approved to start construction in Guangde, Anhui province by Anhui Development and Reform Commission, xinhuanet.com said today.

In October, 2007, Shanghai GM signed a letter of intent with the Guangde county government in eastern China's Anhui province to establish China's largest and most comprehensive vehicle proving ground.

Shanghai GM said the SGM Guangde Vehicle Proving Ground, with total investment of approximately 1.6 billion yuan ($234 million), would cover an area of 5.6 square kilometers. The proving ground will be capable of testing up to 140 vehicles simultaneously under a full range of real situations, and have an estimated annual testing distance of 20 million kilometers.

It will satisfy the long-term product development and testing needs of Shanghai GM, GM's flagship manufacturing joint venture in China, as well as GM's Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) automotive engineering and design joint venture.

Shanghai GM and Guangde county are prepared to put the Vehicle Proving Ground into operationby the first half of 2009, said a Guangde official.