New-energy vehicles in operation set to climb 45 pct

China expects to have 39,700 energy-efficient and new-energy vehicles in operation by the end of March, a rise of 45 percent, the Ministry of Science and Technology said yesterday.

So far 27,400 energy-efficient and new-energy vehicles are running in 25 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, and they comprised 23,000 buses, vans and cars in the public service sector and another 4,400 in private use, according to a ministry statement.

In September 2012, the central government earmarked 4 billion yuan (US$641.9 million) for the continued development of new-energy vehicles and key components such as batteries, said Zhao Yuhai, a ministry official.

China now has 174 charging stations and 8,107 charging posts. It has also set up relevant technical standards and an inspection system, Zhao added.