What is the car ownership in China?
2 Answers
The Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security released on July 16, 2018, that as of the end of June, the national motor vehicle ownership reached 319 million. The following is relevant information about car ownership: 1. Introduction: Car ownership (carparc) refers to the number of vehicles owned in a region, generally referring to vehicles registered locally. However, car ownership differs from motor vehicle ownership, which includes motorcycles, agricultural vehicles, etc. 2. Domestic data: In the first half of 2018, newly registered motor vehicles reached 16.36 million, higher than the 15.94 million registrations in the same period in 2017. New energy vehicle ownership reached 1.99 million, private car ownership reached 180 million, and monthly average growth in ownership since 2018 was 1.66 million, maintaining rapid and continuous growth. 3. Urban car ownership: Currently, car ownership in 58 cities nationwide exceeds one million, with seven cities exceeding three million. Truck ownership reached 24.7 million, with newly registered trucks in the first half of 2018 reaching 1.72 million, significantly higher than the 1.56 million registrations in the same period in 2017, marking a historical high.
The number of cars in China is truly staggering now, reportedly surpassing the 300 million mark. To be more specific, by the end of last year, there were approximately 330 million vehicles. I can feel the magnitude of this every day during my commute—long lines of cars stretching through city streets, especially during rush hours in the morning and evening, making the traffic jams quite a headache. A decade ago, the number might have been just over half of what it is now, and the annual increase in recent years has been quite alarming, mainly due to economic progress and more people being able to afford cars. The upside is the convenience it brings for travel, making it easier for young people to commute and travel. However, the downsides are also evident: increased air pollution, rising fuel costs, and the difficulty of finding parking spaces. I believe the future solution lies in promoting electric and smart cars to alleviate these issues, and it would also help if people drove less. As someone who’s often on the road, while the numbers are impressive, it’s more important to focus on eco-friendly habits in daily life.
