Date 10 July 2009
China has classified alternative-energy automobiles into three types, according to the maturity of the technologies employed. This will help to facilitate the regulation of the industry, which is in line with China’s plans to develop the green industry to reduce automobile emissions and limit the country’s growing reliance on imported oil. This comes after China's top political advisor, Jia Qinglin, called for more resources and support to boost the industry and spur the economy.
The three categories of classification are namely start-up technologies, developing technologies and matured technologies. Sales of vehicles with developing energy technologies will be subjected to conditions, while they are allowed to be mass produced. On the other hand, the sales and production of vehicles powered by matured technologies will now be treated just as any other conventional vehicles.
The industry seems to be set for rapid development as the government is targeting to have 60,000 alternative fuel vehicles on the roads by 2012. Moreover, Bejing has also planned to inject US $1.5 billion into the industry in the next three years. In particular, some economists estimated that the market will be worth up to RMB 1.5 trillion (US $220 billion) by 2030.
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