Efforts continue to get more new energy cars on the road in China

For example, Beijing plans to build up a charging network for new energy cars in the city and plans to install charging posts within a five-kilometer radius inside the sixth ring road by the end of this year.

Beijing authorities also announced that the city would be friendlier to new energy car owners, by allowing them to pay less in parking fees and highway tolls in the near future.

Electric cars have several advantages such as zero emissions, low noise, low running cost, easy maintenance and high subsidies from the government.

Shortcomings

Electric cars have their shortcomings, particularly in terms of mileage. Most electric cars can only drive 150km on a full charge, sometimes even 100km in the case of bad weather or difficult road conditions.

It also takes time to charge electric cars, with a full charge taking about eight hours.

Charging infrastructure is also a problem in China. Charging stations and charging posts are hard to find even in big cities and it takes long time to improve and construct the infrastructure.

Because of the shortcomings, customers still show a conservative attitude towards new energy vehicles and the low sales of the niche market is a testimony to their concerns.

Cheng Yang, 34, lives in Beijing, said she would not buy an electric car unless the charging infrastructure got better. She has tried to win a license plate since 2013 but has not been able to as Beijing plates are hard to get.

A record 2.3 million people enrolled to compete for 17,600 plates in the first round of the number plate lottery in 2015.

A total of 105,600 license plates are available for petroleum-powered private vehicles in the city for the full year.

Local transport authorities earmarked 20,000 license plates for new energy cars in 2015, but there were just over 500 applicants by Feb 8.

"I don't think it's the right time to buy electric cars now as the charging facilities are not good," Cheng said, "I heard the local government is planning to build more charging posts in Beijing, maybe I will consider buying one after I see the charging network is working well."

"I like electric cars as they are environmentally friendly, I would like to drive one as long as charging is convenient," said Wan Yang, a 32-year-old TV producer living in Beijing.

Zhang Yi, 33, from Baoding, in Hebei province, said he would only drive electric cars in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai as there are more charging posts, but would not do so in other places or on highways. "I won't drive them in my hometown as there are no charging posts," he said, "what do I do if the car needs to be charged on the highway?"

China sold 74,800 allelectric and plug-in hybrid cars last year, 3.2 times more than in 2013. The country sold more than 23 million cars last year, making it the world's sales leader.

The domestic market for new energy vehicles is large and has strong support from the government. There are opportunities for the market to grow if China can overcome the current shortcomings of electric cars.