Skip to main content

Chinese white paper explores new business model for electric vehicles

China’s State Council has released a white paper that explores the possible business development model for electric vehicles in the country. After comparing the differences between electric and conventional gasoline vehicles, the white paper points out the market barriers faced by EVs in China: limited range when compared to gasoline, high cost, slow charging and insufficient charging stations The paper argues that China needs to develop an innovative business model to overcome these market barriers since t
October 11, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
China’s State Council has released a white paper that explores the possible business development model for electric vehicles in the country.

After comparing the differences between electric and conventional gasoline vehicles, the white paper points out the market barriers faced by EVs in China: limited range when compared to gasoline, high cost, slow charging and insufficient charging stations

The paper argues that China needs to develop an innovative business model to overcome these market barriers since the technical barriers cannot be solved immediately, and supports an approach whereby a battery swapping model and an electric vehicle rental network combined could provide the means to overcome the market barriers that electric vehicles currently face in China.

The paper maintains that battery swapping is suitable for the Chinese market and can potentially overcome electric vehicle weaknesses of slow charging, high initial cost and limited range, provided sufficient battery switch stations are available.  An EV rental network in cities is the preferable solution for reducing initial cost of purchasing electric vehicles, and could optimise EV utilisation.

The paper points out the potential for electric vehicles to be mass marketed in China, an argument supported by the successful e-bike market in the country.  Unlike many western counties, electric bikes are not niche products but widely used in China, where there were already 120 million e-bikes on the road by the end of 2010. The same success story could be attainable in the EV market.

Related Content

  • Microgrids & the new power generation
    August 31, 2021
    Public transportation agencies are turning to microgrids to provide critical resilience in the event of local and regional power interruptions. Gordon Feller looks at projects in Maryland, New Jersey and Massachusetts
  • Electric boats and ships 2017-2027: Large market emerging, says IDTechEx
    January 13, 2017
    Analysts at IDTechEx have issued a new report, Electric Boats and Ships 2017-2027 looking at this fragmented but often highly profitable and growing sector. It says there are already over 100 manufacturers of electric boats and ships. The report finds that the market for hybrid and pure electric boats and ships will rise rapidly to over US$20 billion worldwide in 2027 for non-military versions. The recreational boat market is the largest and fastest growing electric marine market in sales number, followe
  • EV survey finds strongest interest in Japan, Russia
    August 27, 2013
    Research organisation GFK recently released the results of a 2013 survey on electric vehicles (EVs) that focused on consumer attitudes in six different countries. The research found that the strongest market opportunities lie in Japan and Russia where three-quarters or more of those responding had a favourable impression of electric vehicles. Spain comes in third with two-thirds having a favourable opinion. Researchers placed the US in fifth position, with only 36 per cent holding a favourable impressio
  • EU offers vision of mobility
    March 26, 2021
    Major changes are in the air for ITS in Europe: José Diez of ERF considers what the European Commission’s newly-released policy strategy for sustainable and smart mobility will mean