28 October 2010
Electric transport dreams
China is engaged in a push to promote electric vehicles, which could promote the wider global adoption of the technology
But even if drivers can be weaned off gasoline, it will be years before China's electric cars can be said to be truly environmentally friendly, writes Ian Lewis. The country is already the world's largest vehicle market in absolute terms, but the room for expansion remains vast. Estimates vary, but vehicle ownership probably stands at no more than 60 per 1,000 people – about half the global average and just a fraction of the 850 per 1,000 of the US. With the country anxious to staunch spiralling oil imports, the potential for rapid expansion of the electric-vehicle sector is attracting government support. China plans to spend nearly $15bn on support for the uptake of environmentally friendly
Also in this section
9 January 2026
A shift in perspective is needed on the carbon challenge, the success of which will determine the speed and extent of emissions cuts and how industries adapt to the new environment
2 January 2026
This year may be a defining one for carbon capture, utilisation and storage in the US, despite the institutional uncertainty
23 December 2025
Legislative reform in Germany sets the stage for commercial carbon capture and transport at a national level, while the UK has already seen financial close on major CCS clusters
15 December 2025
Net zero is not the problem for the UK’s power system. The real issue is with an outdated market design in desperate need of modernisation
