China has consensus to promote electric cars

A consensus is forming in China’s government to promote electric cars, as domestic vehicle sales continue to post strong growth, according to Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Spokesman Zhu Hongren. The government’s goals include the development of better engines and batteries for electric vehicles. China’s Ministry of Finance said that in June it would launch a two-year program to promote electric car sales in five cities–Shanghai, Hangzhou, Changchun, Shenzhen and Hefei. Buyers of domestically produced electric vehicles will receive subsidies of up to 60,000 yuan (US$9,015) per vehicle, while buyers of selected domestically produced gasoline-electric hybrid automobiles will receive up to 50,000 yuan (US$7,513) per vehicle. (October 28, 2010)