China's central government will launch road tests of methanol-fueled vehicles in three regions over the next two or three years as part of alternative-energy push, as the Xinhua news reported.

The program is part of China's effort to develop alternative-energy vehicles over the next five years.

The tests will be held in the western province of Shaanxi, in the northern province of Shanxi and in Shanghai.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will oversee the program. The agency has been studying methanol-fueled vehicles since 2009.