Many Chinese could be driving their own electric cars within the next decade if the government steps up funding and infrastructure building for an e-vehicle network, an industry expert said Wednesday.
Tian Yongqiu, chief editor of China Automotive Review magazine, China's only English-language auto journal, told Xinhua that a network of charging stations was essential to expand the use of electric vehicles beyond public transport.
"Lack of funds and infrastructures are two obstacles that hinder sales and use of electric cars," Tian said.
He was speaking the day after the Beijing Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision published standards for the construction of charging stations in the city.
The city plans to build at least four charging stations by October.
"The establishment of these charging stations mainly aims to prepare for the future use of electric vehicles in Beijing," said Tian.
In June, China launched a green car subsidy program, offering subsidies of up to 60,000 yuan (8,784 U.S. dollars) to buyers of completely electricity powered vehicles in five pilot cities, including Shanghai and Shenzhen.
Tian Guangyu, professor from Department of Automotive Engineering, Tsinghua University, said e-vehicles would cost more than ordinary cars even with government subsidies.
One of the 26 provinces and municipalities, Beijing joins the pilot project launched by the State Grid Corp., China's national electricity company, which plans to set up 1,700 charging stations and three million charging piles in China by 2015.
"E-vehicles are mainly used for short-distance trips, said Professor Tian, "and they will coexist with other forms of vehicles in the long run. I am sure more people will drive e-cars in the near future".
