REPORT: former Brilliance chairman looking to make clean cars in Alabama

Here's a set of words you don't often see together: exiled Chinese automobile tycoon, clean-tech cars, and Alabama.

They all come from a news report on Yang Rong, the former chairman of Brilliance China Automotive Holdings. Rong, who left China after he was accused of "economic crimes" (what are those, exactly?), now lives in California and is thinking of setting up shop in the Southern U.S. state with a new company. An insider told Reuters that Rong "is preparing to launch an ambitious plan to make clean-tech cars in the United States." Apparently, Al Gore is in support of Rong's plan. Rong's new company is asking for DOE money.

In April, Brilliance unveiled a new EV concept at the Shanghai Motor Show. Another new automaker, V-Vehicle Company, recently announced it would build clean vehicles in Louisiana.

[Source: Reuters]