Electric car renting may boost demand
By Lu Nengneng |
March 20, 2013, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SHANGHAI hopes to be a forerunner in China in promoting electric cars for private use by renting them out as soon as next month.
Shanghai-based car rental company eHi Auto Services Co said yesterday it will buy 200 electric cars in the next six months under an experiment to propel the new energy car industry toward commercial viability.
Starting in April, the firm will open three electric car rental stores in Jiading District where the Electric Vehicle International Demonstration Zone is sited, and then expand the service across the city by developing charging facilities.
"Consumers are still hesitant about buying electric cars because their maintenance and charging services are unsettled issues," said Zhang Ruiping, CEO of the company. "By taking care of these things, we can give the public more opportunities to experience green mobility."
Getting consumers to switch to green cars has been an uphill journey despite hefty incentives granted because there are inadequate supportive infrastructure.
A survey done by Shanghai International Automobile City (Group) Co last year found over 64.9 percent of respondents had heard of electric vehicles, but only 9 percent had actually driven them. Also up to 72.1 percent of potential electric car buyers wanted to be able to charge their cars at workplaces and shopping centers and not just at the charging facilities in the demonstration zone.
Shanghai-based car rental company eHi Auto Services Co said yesterday it will buy 200 electric cars in the next six months under an experiment to propel the new energy car industry toward commercial viability.
Starting in April, the firm will open three electric car rental stores in Jiading District where the Electric Vehicle International Demonstration Zone is sited, and then expand the service across the city by developing charging facilities.
"Consumers are still hesitant about buying electric cars because their maintenance and charging services are unsettled issues," said Zhang Ruiping, CEO of the company. "By taking care of these things, we can give the public more opportunities to experience green mobility."
Getting consumers to switch to green cars has been an uphill journey despite hefty incentives granted because there are inadequate supportive infrastructure.
A survey done by Shanghai International Automobile City (Group) Co last year found over 64.9 percent of respondents had heard of electric vehicles, but only 9 percent had actually driven them. Also up to 72.1 percent of potential electric car buyers wanted to be able to charge their cars at workplaces and shopping centers and not just at the charging facilities in the demonstration zone.
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