Strategic policies and demonstration program of electric vehicle in China

Recent Chinese economic and energy policies recognize the transportation sector as a key element in the nation's effort to meet its energy and air quality goals. The development of alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) has been considered as a particularly promising strategy. AFV-related policies can be traced back to the eighth Five-Year Plan period (i.e., 1991–1995). All the work during the last twenty years has cumulatively prompted the transition of AFV development from policy-making to actual implementation and from research and development (R&D) to mass production. The year of 2009 is significant for the AFV industry in China in that the central government announced the “Plan on Shaping and Revitalizing the Auto Industry”. This Plan launched a demonstration program of electric vehicle (EV) deployment in 13 Chinese cities and set the national goal of manufacturing 0.5 million AFVs in three years. To better understand the current status, problems and uncertainties existed in the EV deployment in China, this paper reviewed the relevant policies and reported a survey with the pilot cities during the summer of 2009. Based on the survey findings, this paper developed a number of recommendations to help address the issues found in the demonstration program to date.

► China launched a demonstration program of electric vehicle deployment in 13 cities.
► Most cities plan to deploy 1000–5000 electric vehicles for public service by 2012.
► Most cities chose hybrid electric vehicles as pilot vehicles.
► Success of the program is challenged by technology readiness and lack of resources.
► Demonstration program currently lacks a framework for monitoring and evaluation.