Can Hybrid Cars Get Green License Plates in Beijing?
2 Answers
Hybrid cars in Beijing can obtain green license plates, but they are still subject to traffic restrictions. Plug-in hybrid models are eligible for green license plates under the national new energy vehicle subsidy policy. Hybrid models are divided into plug-in hybrids and range-extended hybrids. Plug-in hybrid vehicles derive power from both the car and charging, allowing them to be fueled or plugged in. Range-extended hybrid vehicles primarily rely on gasoline for power and do not have charging ports. The green license plates for hybrid cars differ from those for pure electric vehicles: plates starting with 'D' indicate pure electric vehicles, while those starting with 'F' indicate hybrid vehicles, both of which are considered new energy vehicles. Hybrid cars are equipped with more than one power source, such as batteries, fuel cells, solar cells, or internal combustion engine generators. Currently, hybrid vehicles typically refer to those with an internal combustion engine generator combined with a battery.
As an ordinary car owner in Beijing, I've experienced this firsthand. Plug-in hybrids can't get green license plates here - Beijing's policy only issues them to pure electric and fuel cell vehicles, treating hybrids as gasoline cars that require blue plates. Last year when I was interested in a hybrid SUV, the salesperson straight up told me it could only get a regular license plate in Beijing, and I'd need to enter the lottery queue for new energy vehicle quotas. The advantage is that hybrids can run dozens of kilometers in pure electric mode in the city, basically meeting daily short-distance needs while saving fuel costs. If you're really aiming for green plates, I'd recommend looking at pure electric models like BYD or Tesla. Some surrounding cities like Shenzhen and Shanghai have more lenient policies granting green plates to hybrids.
