The Financial Times published an article on May 1: "China's electric vehicles have a long way to go", pointing out that China aims to become the world's leading electric vehicle market. This ambition seems to be on track as sales in China increased to 247000 last year, far exceeding 115000 in the United States. But car manufacturers and experts say China's electric vehicle market still has a long way to go.

  Beijing has planned the comprehensive electrification of cars as a route to reduce emissions, providing a lot of financial support to buyers and manufacturers. At the Beijing auto show a few days ago, Chinese car manufacturers were eager to show that they had embarked on the route set by the government by displaying their latest electric vehicles. But global carmakers are looking elsewhere to develop efficient engines and hybrid technologies to achieve their goals - in their view, hybrid vehicles are the most attractive option at present because of their "commercial feasibility". Experts said that this difference between Chinese and foreign carmakers highlights their different priorities. Domestic manufacturers are the executors of government policies and hope to be regarded as complying with the requirements of the government. But international manufacturers are more focused on building cars in the most effective way to sell them.

  The government's economic incentives are boosting the growth of electric vehicle sales in China, but various problems, including lagging infrastructure development and "mileage anxiety", make Chinese consumers still lack interest in electric vehicles. Despite the sharp rise in sales last year, the sales of new energy vehicles are still far from the 500000 target set by Beijing. Auto industry analysts said that the failure to create a real demand for electric vehicles will endanger Beijing's dream of vigorously promoting electric vehicles. When the subsidies gradually fade out, electric vehicles will be difficult to sell.