China's Hainan plans to add 25,000 new energy vehicles

Aerial photo taken on Feb. 6, 2021 shows Haiwen Bridge and Haiwen Bridge-Beigang Island ramp bridge in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. The ramp project recently opened to traffic. It connects Haiwen Bridge with Beigang Island, marking the end of the days when residents on the island could only travel outside by ferryboat. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

HAIKOU, March 1 (Xinhua) -- China's southern island province of Hainan plans to add 25,000 new energy vehicles (NEVs) this year in its latest effort to build a national pilot zone for ecological conservation.

All new buses and government vehicles including those slated to be replaced this year must use new energy, except for special use vehicles, noted a plan recently released by the provincial government.

Over 80 percent of the taxis to be added or replaced this year must also be NEVs, the plan added.

Hainan plans to build 10,000 charging stations for electric vehicles this year and continue to subsidize the private purchase of NEVs.

The scenic island province has been promoting the use of clean energy vehicles, aiming to completely phase out the sales of conventional fuel-based vehicles by 2030.

Hainan had more than 64,000 NEVs by the end of 2020, accounting for 4.2 percent of the province's total number of vehicles, ranking fourth in the country, according to the provincial department of industry and information technology.