What Does the Difference Between Su E and Su U Mean?
2 Answers
Su E and Su U have no difference; both are license plates from Suzhou. Initially, Su E was used, but as the number of Su E plates became insufficient, Su U began to be issued. Both Su E and Su U plates indicate that the vehicle's registration was processed at the Suzhou Vehicle Management Office, signifying that the vehicle is registered in Suzhou. The license plate codes for various cities in Jiangsu Province are as follows: Su A is Nanjing, Su B is Wuxi, Su C is Xuzhou, Su D is Changzhou, Su E is Suzhou, Su F is Nantong, Su G is Lianyungang, Su H is Huai'an, Su J is Yancheng, Su K is Yangzhou, Su L is Zhenjiang, Su M is Taizhou, and Su N is Suqian. A license plate number is an identifier for a vehicle, much like an ID number is to a person.
I've lived in Suzhou for several years. Initially, the entire city only had license plates starting with 'SuE,' but as the number of cars increased, the vehicle management resources became insufficient, so they introduced 'SuU' for Suzhou vehicles. This means 'SuU' and 'SuE' are essentially the same, both managed by Suzhou, just allocated at different times. I remember my neighbor bought a car last year and got a 'SuU' plate during registration. When he asked about it, the staff explained it was a new series to better manage the growing number of vehicles. On the road, 'SuE' and 'SuU' are subject to the same traffic rules, and police checks don’t differentiate between them. I think this change is quite normal—cities expand, and license plates must adapt to meet demand. Overall, the difference is just a letter symbol, with no impact on vehicle operations or registration, reflecting how local vehicle management flexibly responds to growth.
