EV, plug-in hybrid sales surge 43% in first half
Sales of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in China jumped 43 percent in the first six months to 5,889 units, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said.
Of that total, 5,114 units were EVs and 775 were plug-in hybrids.
This year through June, 10,048 conventional hybrid vehicles also were sold nationwide, 1.7 times the number of the year-earlier period.
Also through June, sales of natural gas-powered vehicles doubled to 43,562 units.
Year-to-year sales comparisons can be deceptive because of low sales in 2012. But rising deliveries are good news for automakers that have struggled to find a market for EVs.
Municipalities are starting to install public recharging stations, and some cities such as Shenzhen have bought EV taxi fleets.
But industry sales remain far short of the central government's targets. Beijing has said it wants to have 500,000 EVs and plug-in hybrids in China by 2015, and 5 million units by 2020.
This year through June, 10,048 conventional hybrid vehicles also were sold nationwide, 1.7 times the number of the year-earlier period.
Also through June, sales of natural gas-powered vehicles doubled to 43,562 units.
Year-to-year sales comparisons can be deceptive because of low sales in 2012. But rising deliveries are good news for automakers that have struggled to find a market for EVs.
Municipalities are starting to install public recharging stations, and some cities such as Shenzhen have bought EV taxi fleets.
But industry sales remain far short of the central government's targets. Beijing has said it wants to have 500,000 EVs and plug-in hybrids in China by 2015, and 5 million units by 2020.
