The popularity of electric vehicles needs to strengthen the infrastructure price is the bottleneck

According to AFP news, the Chinese government has invested billions of yuan in clean energy to support this industry, and plans to achieve sales target of 5 million new energy vehicles by 2020. Foreign and Chinese auto makers are pursuing policies. "We plan to substantially increase sales of electric and hybrid vehicles in China." However, AFP reported that the high selling price, lack of basic charging facilities and consumer resistance will become the three major “stumbling blocks” for electric vehicle sales.

Electric vehicle sales status

According to estimates by industry insiders, the number of electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles in China is about 100,000. This number accounts for only a small proportion in the country, and most of them are government vehicles.

BYD, the US investment giant Warren Buffett, began selling its e6 pure electric vehicles to consumers in October 2001. Although the subsidies have cut costs by at least 16%, the price is still as high as 370,000. Yuan (60,000 U.S. dollars). Zhang Jiankun, sales manager of BYD, said: “People still have concerns when choosing high-priced cars. For electric vehicles, although the government provides subsidies for alternative energy vehicles, the lack of charging stations is still a major problem.”

According to a Shanghai dealer salesman at BYD Auto, in 2011 the store sold only one electric car and two hybrid cars equipped with conventional internal combustion engines and electric motors.

Popularization of electric vehicles requires strengthening infrastructure and persuading consumers to purchase

The challenges China faces include the strengthening of battery charging infrastructure and convincing consumers to trust the technology. In order to achieve this goal, China has established 15 electric vehicle pilot areas throughout the country. But in this country where auto culture is only twenty years old and where fuel prices are controlled by the government, flashy luxury brands are clearly more attractive.

A consumer who is purchasing a vehicle said: "For me, the performance of the car is the primary consideration, including the vehicle power. New energy vehicles are still immature, and I think pure electric cars can't go far."