The aggregate number of electric cars on the world`s roads topped 2 million in 2016. the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday. China has been the largest contributor to recent growth in the market. It now owns the world`s largest fleet of electric cars. having overtaken the U.S. in this department.
Still. electric cars — battery-powered as well as plug-in hybrids — account for a mere 0.2% of all cars. But the market is growing fast and could expand to 20 million by 2020. according to an industry estimate.
According to a report drafted by the IEA and industry lobby groups. the global stock of electric cars in 2016 increased 60% from a year earlier. The number of these cars in China doubled over the year to 650.000. surpassing the 560.000 being driven in the U.S. China accounted for 32% of the global electric vehicle market. up from 25% the year before.
Desperate to improve its country`s seriously polluted air. China`s government has been pushing electric cars and is now planning to assign automakers a sales quota for so-called `new energy vehicles.`
In 2011. there were only 7.000 electric cars on China`s roads. but the number began rapidly expanding in 2014. The government wants to keep incentivizing easier-on-the-environment vehicles until 2020. so the market should continue growing.
Chinese and foreign automakers are keen to ride the wave. The joint venture between China`s Dongfeng Motor Group and Japan`s Nissan Motor has released an electric car exclusively for the Chinese market.
European nations have been early adopters of no- or low-pollution cars. In Norway. electric cars account for 28.8% of all registered cars. followed by 6.4% in the Netherlands. 3.4% in Sweden. 1.5% in France and 1.4% in the U.K.
Meanwhile. the traditional big automaking countries have been slow on the uptake. Only 0.9% of the cars on U.S. roads are electric. The figure is 0.7% in Germany. In Japan. it is 0.6%.
India has the lowest electric vehicle ownership rate. a tad more than 0%.
Norway and the Netherlands. meanwhile. are talking about banning sales of gas- and diesel-powered vehicles. possibly in 2025.
China. the top buyer. owns 32% of all clean-running vehicles
Tags Asia East Asia Government India International International Organizations Japan Joint Venture Market Vehicle
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