Charging stations required for Hebei new housing

Hebei will require newly-built residential communities to install charging facilities at parking spaces and encourage older communities to follow suit, in a move to promote the use of new energy vehicles and cut vehicle emissions.

The move is added into the province's regulations on prevention and control of air pollution, which is scheduled to be voted on during the ongoing 12th Hebei Provincial People's Congress for approval today. 

According to the regulations, buses, taxis and vehicles used by governments and for sanitation and delivery in the province should first choose new energy vehicles.

By last year, a total of 4,400 new energy buses had been put into operation in Hebei, according to Hebei Provincial Department of Transport.

More than 140 service areas along expressways have established charging stations, accounting for half of the province's total number of service areas.

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20), Hebei will add another 8,000 new energy buses, which will equal 55 percent of the province's total number of buses.

Langfang and Zhangjiakou have been chosen as pilot cities to promote new energy taxis.

The two cities will be equipped with at least 200 new energy taxis by the end of 2020.

In December, Sanhe city in Langfang brought in 50 electric taxis and finished the construction of three charging stations.

The taxis, Hebei's first batch of new energy taxis, are expected to be put into use this month.

"I would have bought an electric car if it was convenient to have it recharged," said Song Jiayue, a Sanhe resident, who just bought a gasoline-fueled car in December, adding that buying a new energy car could have saved her a lot of money because governments provide various subsidies for buying new energy vehicles.

Song said she gave up because the residential community she lives doesn't have charging facilities.

For dealing with the problem, the province will speed up the construction of charging stations. By 2020, another 60 charging stations will be set up at 29 service areas along expressways in the province.

According to an analysis of air pollution sources provided by Baoding Environmental Protection Bureau, motor vehicles contribute about 15 percent of PM 2.5 during non-heating periods, ranking second among all pollution sources.

Baoding was known for being listed as the most-polluted city last year.

In other seriously polluted cities in the province, such as Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei, Langfang and Tangshan, the contribution of motor vehicles to PM 2.5 is no less than 10 percent, according to the official website of the Hebei Provincial Environmental Protection Bureau.

Yang Guohua, deputy head of the Hebei Provincial Department of Transport, said efforts on promoting new energy vehicles will cut down on pollutants and improve air quality.