China’s central government has directed state institutions and ministries to purchase more domestic electric vehicles (EVs), in the latest effort to promote environmentally friendly automobiles for official use.
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No specific target was mentioned, but Cui Dongshu, general secretary of the China Passenger Car Association, said the move showed the government’s backing for home-made EVs and that it could influence others to buy more of the vehicles.
Still, Cui said the directive – published by state media Xinhua News Agency on Sunday – may have a limited impact on the industry. Official procurement accounts for a relatively small share of the national market, he added, with the public sector making up only around 10 per cent of auto sales.
Beijing has promoted the purchase of electric vehicles by state institutions since 2017, when it published official guidelines on their procurement.
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This followed a requirement last October from the National Government Offices Administration that called for more battery-powered vehicles in government fleets, and directed departments to purchase EVs priced under 180,000 yuan (US$25,000) – part of ongoing efforts to cut costs.
