More cons than pros in NEV cars

A shortage of charging poles, short battery life and long charging times are hindering sales of new energy cars in Shanghai, a report by the city’s quality watchdog said yesterday.

About 68 percent of respondents to a survey complained about the lack and random distribution of charging poles, according to the report by the Shanghai Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau.

The bureau interviewed 4,702 new-energy vehicle (NEV) owners of eight brands and more than 8,400 potential buyers of the cars.

More than 50 percent said battery efficiency was the major deterrent. The battery life of hybrid electric vehicles is 60 to 100 kilometers on average, and 150 to 200 kilometers for pure electric vehicles.

“However, the battery capacities of most new-energy cars shrink to 70 percent after one year of use, which is a major concern for many users,” said Shen Weimin, deputy director of the bureau. “Many complained that new energy cars can not be used for long distance travel,” he added.

“In addition, long charging times also drew the ire of many users,” Shen explained.

It takes eight to 10 hours to charge NEVs in old public charging poles, the report said.

Green transport and benefits — including subsidies and a free car plate which together amount to 100,000 yuan (US$15,307) on average — for the purchase of new-energy cars are the most attractive points, according to the interviewees.

Overall, respondents were more satisfied about after-sales service than vehicle quality, the bureau found. Among the eight brands, Baic, JAC and BMW had the lowest scores in terms of quality, the bureau said.

In total, 78 percent of respondents said they purchased or would choose hybrid electric vehicles. The prices range between 100,000 yuan and 300,000 yuan for the majority of them, the report found.

Between 2013 and 2016, there were more than 100,000 new energy cars in Shanghai.