Taiwan aims to rank among world's top 5 EV makers

Shanghai, April 20 (Gasgoo.com) Taiwan last week announced a multi-million dollar subsidy plan to boost the island's production and use of electric vehicles over the next six years, hoping to rank among the world's top five EV makers in the future, local media reported.

The local government will spend NT$2.277 billion (US$104 mln) to subsidize manufacturers of electric vehicles over the next three years, and will spend another NT$6 billion for research and development. EV charging stations will also be set up across the island.

The subsidy plan aims to help Taiwan's automakers produce 3,000 electric vehicles from now to 2013 and 60,000 from 2013 to 2016, of which 15,000 will be sold outside the island. The ultimate goal is to make Taiwan one of the top five electric vehicle producers in the world.

The idea was proposed by the island's economic affairs department and approved by the executive administration last week. As further incentives, the local government is considering scrapping commodity tax on manufacturers and license tax on drivers of electric vehicles.

The plan will likely create 24,000 jobs, an official said. Yulon Motor, a leading local developer and producer of the island's first home-grown electric car, would be the main beneficiary of the subsidy scheme.

Taiwan's auto industry is set to usher in an electric car era, thanks to its edge in auto-parts and vehicle manufacturing, and the local government is urged to push ahead with the initiative.