Northern city thrives on frigid car tests

HARBIN — With the temperature outside nearing — 25 C, Jin Lei planted his foot on the accelerator and drove along a test road on a frozen river, turning and braking occasionally as snow flew up behind the wheels.

Since November, Jin has been working in Heihe, a city in China's northernmost province of Heilongjiang, to test vehicles.

Before a new car goes on sale, it has to undergo cold-weather testing.