BEIJING, May 3 (Xinhua) -- China's highway new energy vehicle (NEV) charging volume jumped 55.6 percent year on year on the first day of the five-day May Day holiday, underscoring a fundamental shift in travel patterns as electric vehicles have become a popular choice for long-distance journeys.

Data released by the National Energy Administration showed that NEV charging volume on highways exceeded 23 million kilowatt-hours on Friday. The figures were based on an analysis of 57,600 highway charging facilities included in the national charging facility monitoring service platform.

According to forecasts from the Ministry of Transport, an average of 15.4 million NEVs are expected to travel on highways daily during the holiday period, accounting for 24 percent of all vehicles and representing a 33-percent increase year on year.

"The growing maturity of NEV technology and the continuous improvement of the charging infrastructure network are helping NEVs shake off the label of short-distance commuter vehicles," said Liu Yongdong, deputy secretary-general of China Electricity Council. "More vehicle owners are now choosing to drive their NEVs on cross-provincial trips and to visit family during the holidays. As the penetration rate of NEVs continues to rise, charging demand is growing rapidly."

Currently, China has over 21 million charging piles, with full township-level coverage in 19 provinces.

Liu Mingyang, an official with the National Energy Administration, said the administration has guided localities in upgrading old charging facilities and deploying temporary charging equipment to ensure efficient and reliable charging services throughout the holiday period.