What are the differences between yellow license plate vehicles and green license plate vehicles?
2 Answers
Green license plates are specifically designated for new energy vehicles, with the main differences from yellow license plate vehicles as follows: 1. Different purposes: a. Yellow license plate vehicles: Yellow plates are mostly used for large vehicles, motorcycles, driving school training vehicles, and container trucks. The style of yellow license plates is roughly the same as that of blue license plates. b. New energy vehicle license plates: Only new energy vehicles can have such green license plates. However, due to relevant policies, green license plates are more common in many large cities with license plate restrictions. 2. Different number of digits on the license plate: a. Yellow license plate vehicles: The vehicle license plate number consists of 5 digits. b. New energy vehicle license plates: The number of digits on new energy vehicle license plates is increased by one. Compared to ordinary vehicle license plates, the number of digits on new energy vehicle license plates is increased from 5 to 6.
Every day on my commute, I observe the colors of license plates, and the difference between yellow plates and green plates is quite significant. Yellow plates are mainly for large vehicles, such as buses and heavy trucks. Vehicles exceeding 6 meters in length or carrying a large number of passengers must have yellow plates. Driving these vehicles requires a special license, and a regular Class C license won't suffice. Green plates, on the other hand, are for the common new energy vehicles we see—pure electric or plug-in hybrids. The government provides policy support for these, exempting them from purchase taxes and offering subsidies. The biggest difference lies in usage rights. In many cities, green-plate vehicles can move freely during traffic restrictions, while yellow-plate vehicles are often barred from entering urban areas. Additionally, green-plate vehicles have lower electricity costs and often receive parking fee discounts, whereas yellow-plate vehicles, which run on fuel, incur higher expenses and struggle to find parking spaces. In the long run, the cost of maintaining these vehicles varies greatly.
