China's E-Cars: Big Plans, Big Hassle

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

China has become the biggest producer, consumer and exporter of electric vehicles in the world. But China’s people are facing huge problems buying and driving them.

According China’s People’s Daily (via Gasgoo), the number of electric bicycles and electric motors has reached about 50 million, which accounts for 90 percent of the world’s total. By 2011, China wants to have the production capacity for 500,000 new energy cars, including pure electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles and mixed power-driven vehicles. China already has 300,000 alternative-fuel vehicles now running on the roads in China, mostly used for public transport, taxi etc.

Civilians, however, complain about getting a license for their clean car. Chinese cities set restrictive quotas for electric vehicles. Film at 12 o’clock.


Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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