Green Vehicles Getting Little Traction In China

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

Despite strong pushes from the government and auto makers, hybrid and plug-in cars aren’t gaining much ground in China. A report by La Tribune pegs registrations for these vehicles at a mere 0.17 percent of all registrations in Q1 2013.

Of the 4.42 million vehicles registered in that period, there were just 4,033 hybrids, 2,874 pure EVs and 301 plug-in hybrids among the ranks. By comparison, 1.8 percent of registrations in France for that same period were made up of the aforementioned vehicles (though a precise breakdown was not available). Buyers in China can receive rebates of $9655 USD for a pure EV, $8068 for a plug-in hybrid and $481 for a regular hybrid. Evidently, it’s not enough to sway consumer tastes towards green cars.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • Sportyaccordy Sportyaccordy on Apr 18, 2013

    You can cut through the Chinese atmosphere with a butter knife. They don't care about the environment. And that will be their downfall.

    • Summicron Summicron on Apr 18, 2013

      But is the pollution extensive enough to gas the bigshots too, or can they just escape to whatever Chinese call dachas?

  • SCE to AUX SCE to AUX on Apr 18, 2013

    In the case of plug-ins, maybe they don't have garages to charge them in. I'm sure there aren't too many apartment dwellers in the US buying EVs, either. And the $481 incentive to buy a hybrid is almost nothing.

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