Chinese market for green cars

Chinese automaker BYD Ltd's F3DM is a plug-in electric hybrid car, which sells for about 150,000 yuan, 30-40 percent cheaper than Toyota's Prius in the world's largest car market. F3DM, which stands for F3 dual-mode, charges through a conventional home outlet and is supported by a small petrol engine.

China Daily

China, the fastest growing major market for vehicles, is also the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Car sales growth in China overtook the United States in January making it the world's largest auto market. China stepped up its support of green cars in January, offering up to 500,000 yuan in subsidies for companies and agencies purchasing electric vehicles for fleet use.

But given the high cost of developing hybrid and all-electric cars, automakers require more than the lifting of road fees, tax breaks, and subsidies to stimulate demand, experts said. "There is also the issue of infrastructure. At some point car owners will need juice points where they can park and plug in the cars," said Sinling Chung, chief executive officer of Hong Kong-based EuAuto Technology Ltd, which recently began marketing a Chinese microcar in Europe.

Other Chinese carmakers have also been developing hybrid and all-electric cars. Wuhu-based Chery Automobile built a hybrid model, the A5, and unveiled a prototype of its pure electric car the S18 in February. Shanghai General Motors Ltd, the 50-50 joint venture between General Motors Corp and SAIC Motor Corp, introduced the Buick LaCrosse Eco-hybrid in China last July.