Can Hybrid Vehicles Obtain New Energy License Plates?
2 Answers
Hybrid vehicles cannot obtain new energy license plates because hybrid cars are not classified as new energy vehicles. New energy vehicles refer to automobiles that utilize unconventional vehicle fuels as their power source or employ conventional vehicle fuels with new types of onboard power devices, integrating advanced technologies in vehicle power control and driving systems, resulting in vehicles with advanced technical principles, new technologies, and innovative structures. New energy vehicles include pure electric vehicles, extended-range electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles, hydrogen engine vehicles, and other new energy vehicles. The dedicated license plates for new energy vehicles feature green backgrounds with black characters and black borders, while new energy vehicle plates display a gradient green color, and large new energy vehicle plates are a combination of yellow and green.
I've recently researched this issue, and now people buying cars are all looking into new energy license plates. Hybrid vehicles that run on both gasoline and electricity, like Toyota's regular non-plug-in hybrid models, cannot get new energy license plates, which are the green plates. Only plug-in hybrid or pure electric vehicles qualify for green plates. This is because national policies mainly encourage vehicles that don't use gasoline at all, while regular hybrids still rely on gasoline for power. I remember that in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, green plates also offer exemptions from traffic restrictions and parking fee discounts, so if you buy a hybrid, you'd have to get a regular blue plate, which might come with restrictions. If you're like me and considering a car change, it's best to go straight for a plug-in hybrid—it saves money and hassle. In the long run, policies might change, but the current standards are unlikely to be revised for several years, so choosing the wrong car could be a big loss.