Must New Energy Vehicles Use Green License Plates?
2 Answers
New energy vehicles must use green license plates. Below are the eligibility criteria for applying for new energy vehicle license plates: 1. The vehicle must be registered in China, with sufficient self-owned capital and financing capability commensurate with the project investment. 2. The applying enterprise can only produce "pure electric passenger vehicles," including pure electric and extended-range (series hybrid with external charging capability) passenger vehicles that meet relevant national standards. Below is an introduction to the special license plates for new energy vehicles: 1. The dimensions of the special license plate for new energy vehicles are 480mm×140mm. 2. The special license plate for small new energy vehicles features a gradient green color. 3. The special license plate for large new energy vehicles features a yellow-green dual-color scheme. 4. The first character of the special license plate for small new energy vehicles uses the letters D or F (D represents pure electric new energy vehicles, F represents non-pure electric new energy vehicles). 5. The sixth character of the special license plate for large new energy vehicles uses the letters D or F (D represents pure electric new energy vehicles, F represents non-pure electric new energy vehicles).
Last time when accompanying my friend to pick up a Tesla, the salesperson specifically reminded us that applying for a green license plate is mandatory as per national regulations. New energy vehicles include pure electric and plug-in hybrid models, and the DMV will automatically assign green plates based on the motor type during registration. Green plates offer many benefits: those starting with the letter D are for pure electric vehicles, while F denotes hybrids, both eligible for tax exemption policies and exempt from traffic restrictions in some cities. Using a blue plate instead might get you stopped by traffic police, as the vehicle's certification clearly marks it as 'new energy'. However, it's important to note that hybrid vehicles must have a pure electric range exceeding 50 kilometers to qualify for a green plate, so older models like the Prius, which are just regular hybrids, don't qualify.
