By Su Min
As a strategic emerging industry of the "12th Five-year Plan", the new-energy vehicle industry plays a crucial part in propelling the transformation and upgrading, increasing the competitiveness, and promoting energy saving and emission reduction of the auto industry. For Beijing, new-energy car not only can reduce emission of carbon dioxide and cut down PM2.5, but is also of great significance in improving the overall competitiveness of Beijing's auto industry.
On April 19, Beijing hosted China's largest delivery of all-electricity taxi demonstration run. This symbolized that the development of Beijing's new-energy vehicle industry has turned over a new page. From now on, 700 units of electric taxis will be gradually put into operation in seven districts and counties in Beijing, including Yanqing, Fangshan, Miyun, Pinggu, Daxing, Changping, and Huairou. When it is completed, there will be 750 units of electric taxies running in Beijing, making Beijing the electric taxi demonstrative operation area with the largest quantity of electric taxies in China.
According to people from Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission (BMSTC), so far a total of about 1,700 units of new-energy vehicles have been put into operation in such areas as public transportation, environmental sanitation and taxi. In the next step, BMSTC will take the lead to continue the demonstrative operation efforts and achieve the demonstration operation target of 5,000 units of all-electricity vehicles in public areas by the end of this year.
It is told that Beijing has established a new-energy vehicle joint meeting system for the purpose of promoting the sound and rapid development of the new-energy vehicle industry. Relevant municipal officials will serve as conveners of the joint meeting, with members coming from 14 relevant commissions, offices, and bureaus. The office of the joint meeting is set in BMSTC.
According to statistics from BMSTC, since 2009, Beijing has invested an aggregated amount of RMB 500 million Yuan of scientific research fund to promote the integration of industry, academy, and research, and tackle key technologies. A total of 34 models of all-electricity vehicles have been included in the National Public Catalog of Vehicle Products, making Beijing the region with the largest number of new-energy vehicle varieties in China. The complete new-energy industrial chain, including the five links of whole vehicle, motor, battery, charging system, and supporting system, is becoming very clear. Meanwhile, efforts are being made to promote the formulation and promulgation of electric vehicle logo and relevant electric vehicle standards, and the construction of charging and battery replacement infrastructures, and to establish an integrated operation supporting and monitoring platform. All demonstrative operation work is being carried out steadily.
Presently, three new-energy vehicle industrial bases, namely Changping New-energy Vehicle Design & Manufacturing Base, Daxing New-energy Vehicle Technology Park, and Fangshan Advanced Modern Manufacturing Industry Base, have been established, attracting and gathering many upstream and downstream enterprises of the new-energy vehicle industry.
Industrial experts told the reporter that Beijing is now a region with rich new-energy technology approaches, comprehensive core technologies, and a rather complete industrial chain. It has the production capacity of 70,000 units of new-energy vehicles annually.
It is learned that Beijing is currently doing extensive research on a complete plan and incentive policies for individuals to buy new-energy vehicles, and new-energy cars would be sold to private consumers in the next half of the year.
To encourage private consumers to buy new-energy vehicles, the municipal government of Beijing will designate a special number sequence of vehicle license for the demonstrative operation of electric vehicles, and the number sequence will not participate in the registration lottery. As for the recharging problem during the use of an electric vehicle, Beijing has established four medium-sized recharging and battery-replacement stations in Gao'antun, Beitucheng, Hangtianqiao, and Majialou, and 15 chargers groups distributed in Xizhimen Bridge, Hujialou, Datun, Yuejialou Bridge, and Wanquanhe Bridge. Besides, vigorous efforts are being made to promote the construction of reserved parking spaces that are equipped with recharging equipments at a certain proportion in residential areas and office buildings. Recharging facilities are planned to be built in large public parking lots and public spaces. Under rapid recharging mode, it takes only 30 minutes to reach 90 percent of full electricity capacity. Recharging at night can even enjoy preferential electricity price. Battery replacement is the primary choice for electric vehicles in public area, supplemented by recharging.
The New Energy Development and Construction Plan during the 12th Five-Year Plan, Beijing proposes that, in 2015, electric vehicle for civil use would exceed 40,000 units. At that time, Beijing will have established 256 recharging and battery replace stations, 210 small-sized distribution stations, and 42,000 chargers, meeting the recharging needs of all types of electric vehicles.
It is learned from BMSTC that, in the next step, Beijing will accelerate the promulgation and implementation of the Temporal Measures for Subsidizing Private Purchase of New-energy Vehicles, make vigorous efforts to put financial subsidy into effect, promulgate relevant preferential policies, plan and construct recharging infrastructure, improve the operation supporting system, promote new-energy vehicles to go into ordinary households, and build Beijing the most influential new-energy demonstration city and a top-notch base for the production and R&D of new-energy vehicles, particularly all-electricity vehicles, and a gathering place for standardization and advanced human resources.
