China's first solar-powered and intelligent connected vehicle, launched by Tianjin, exemplifies the benefits of teaming up in a bid to make technological breakthroughs.

The vehicle, Tianjin, weighs 1,020 kilograms and has three seats. It can travel up to 74.8 kilometers on one charge, and has a maximum speed of 79.2 km per hour. The solar module of the car totals 8.1 square meters, and serves as the vehicle's only power source.

Boasting 47 cutting-edge pieces of technology and products, the intelligent vehicle integrates the efforts of 42 enterprises and three universities.

While on display in Tianjin’s Xiqing district, the car attracted notable interest from relevant institutions and enterprises.

“We are seeking more technical support to further improve the solar car,” said Zhou Shenxi, deputy head of the Tianjin Industrial and Information Technology Bureau. “The reason we chose Xiqing as a display destination is that the district boasts pilot trials concerning Internet of Vehicles technology, as well as leading companies in new energy vehicles.”

“When we organized the research for the solar car, we integrated as many advanced achievements as possible into this model, so that more companies can understand and utilize these advanced pieces of technology. We hope that the car will be the spark that brings together enterprises in the automotive and IoV industry chain”, said Ma Chuangguan, a researcher at the Tianjin Municipal Science and Technology Bureau.

The car will also be displayed in other provinces, including Jilin and Qinghai.