Must a new energy vehicle be owned for at least three years before it can be sold?
2 Answers
Government policies vary by region, and there are corresponding restrictions on the transfer time of new energy vehicles. Here are the detailed regulations: Shanghai: The new energy vehicle license plate must be used for at least three years from the date of activation before it can be transferred or re-registered; furthermore, if the owner already has a new energy vehicle license plate, they cannot purchase another new energy vehicle even after transferring the current one. Shenzhen: A new energy vehicle registered in Shenzhen can be transferred within the city one month after registration, but the transfer must meet Shenzhen's requirements for new energy vehicle indicators; if the vehicle is to be transferred out of the city, it must have been used for at least two years from the date of license plate activation before it can be transferred out.
I was curious about this when I bought an electric car. Later, I found out that according to China's new energy vehicle subsidy policy, if you sell the car within three years after receiving the subsidy, you may need to refund part or all of the subsidy. This doesn't mean you can't sell the car, but it's to prevent people from buying the car just to cash in on the subsidy. My neighbor did this—he sold his used electric car after 18 months but handled the tax refund procedures properly, and the transaction went smoothly. There's no law stating you must keep the car for three years before selling it; the sale itself is free. However, the subsidy is tied to the sales agreement, so selling early might result in financial losses. Electric cars already have poor resale value, and selling after three years helps preserve value relatively better. My personal advice is to carefully review the contract terms when buying the car. Don't just focus on the tax rebate for convenience, or the refund process could be quite troublesome.
