The first trial batch of stations, according to the report in China Daily, will be located in Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin. The country’s largest electric utility, the State Grid Corporation, will build the stations.
The Ministry of Science and Technology wants 10,000 alternative fuel vehicles, such as hybrids and all-electrics, on Chinese roads by 2010, according to the report.
The moves come as China shows signs of changes in attitudes to its environment. This year, the Asian giant will become the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gasses. It's an honor to be bestowed upon its already notoriously dirty cities, among the world’s grimiest.
China is often thought of as environmental laggard. But the government has adopted fuel-economy standards that will eventually raise average car mileage to nearly 40 mpg. That's even higher than in the United States. Plus, Chinese leaders have promised to reduce water pollution by 10 percent by 2020 and increase industrial solid-waste recycling by 60 percent.
The network of recharging stations, once built, will set the stage for the Chinese government to boost policies for alternative vehicles, noted the China Daily report.
China is already the second largest car market in the world, after the United States. By 2010, Automotive News expects annual registrations of light vehicles in China will reach 7.9 million. Even a relatively small embrace of electric vehicles could be a major boon to the emerging industry.
The world’s big automakers no doubt have their eyes on China. Many of these companies, such as General Motors and Toyota, are developing next-generation vehicles. Chrysler, America’s third biggest automaker, announced on Tuesday its plans to build three electric-technology models by 2010.
But China also has its homegrown companies focused on electric-car technology. China’s BYD, the world’s biggest maker of mobile-phone batteries, is working on an all-electric vehicle, named E6, to debut in China by 2010. The company is also working on a plug-in hybrid, the F6DM.
Other Chinese companies working on alternative vehicles include Tianjin Qingyuan Electric Vehicle Co., Dongfeng Motor Corporation, and ChangAn Auto.