ALMOST 20 mini electric buses will go into service on branch bus lines run by the Shenzhen Bus Group by the end of this year, according to a senior group executive.
They will be the city s first green-energy buses, Chinese-language media said. The group will add another 250 new-energy buses to its fleet at the end of this year, said Gui Tianjiao, vice general manager of the bus group.
The move is being hailed as an important step in developing Shenzhen into a low-carbon city.
In May, Shenzhen became the first Chinese city to put all-electric taxis into operation when it launched 30 BYD battery-powered cabs.
The city government is hoping there will be 24,000 electric and hybrid vehicles on its streets by 2012, including 2,500 electric taxis and 4,000 electric and hybrid buses. Although more expensive than conventional petrol taxis, electric taxis running costs are 60 percent lower and the government is subsidizing their introduction.
Shenzhen was chosen by the Central Government as one of five cities to pilot a program to promote hybrid and electric vehicles. Under the national program, subsidies of up to 60,000 yuan (US$8,960) will be given to buyers of all-electric vehicles in Shenzhen and four other cities.
The Shenzhen city government also began offering subsidies in addition to national subsidies for such vehicles in July. Plug-in hybrid car buyers can qualify for up to a 30,000-yuan subsidy, while those buying wholly electric cars can qualify for a subsidy of 60,000 yuan. (SD News)
