What is the difference between blue and green license plates?
3 Answers
Blue and green license plates have the following specific differences: 1. Different applicable vehicle types: Green license plates are for new energy vehicles, provided for all-electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles; Blue license plates are for conventional energy vehicles, i.e., gasoline and diesel vehicles. 2. Different license plate endings: The number of digits on green license plates has increased from 5 to 6, using only two letters, with D representing pure electric and F representing hybrid; Blue license plates have 5 digits. 3. Different technologies used: Green license plates adopt new technologies, using two-dimensional barcodes, anti-counterfeiting background patterns, and other anti-counterfeiting techniques to improve the anti-counterfeiting performance of the license plates, enabling the tracking of the entire history of the license plate.
I've been driving for several years and always pay attention to license plates. Blue plates are generally for fuel-powered vehicles, meaning traditional gasoline or diesel cars. They feature blue backgrounds with white numbers and letters, common and ordinary. Green plates, on the other hand, are exclusively for new energy vehicles, such as pure electric or plug-in hybrid cars. They have green backgrounds with black characters, making them more eye-catching. The biggest difference lies in policy benefits: green-plate vehicles in China enjoy exemption from purchase tax, saving a significant amount of money when buying a car—approximately 10% of the tax is waived. Blue-plate vehicles, however, must pay the full amount. Additionally, green-plate vehicles have advantages in urban traffic restriction policies. In cities like Beijing and Shanghai, during peak hours when blue-plate vehicles are restricted from entering downtown areas, green-plate vehicles can pass freely. They also enjoy parking benefits, with many places offering dedicated charging zones. Driving a green-plate vehicle also supports environmental protection, as it emits less pollution and is more sustainable than blue-plate vehicles. However, it's important to note that green-plate vehicles require charging infrastructure, which is becoming increasingly widespread. In the long run, they are a very worthwhile choice.
As an automotive professional, I often help friends understand license plate distinctions. Simply put, blue plates represent traditional fuel vehicles, such as conventional gasoline cars; green plates are exclusively for new energy vehicles, including pure electric and plug-in hybrid models. The key differences lie in policy design: green-plate vehicles enjoy purchase incentives from the outset, being exempt from vehicle purchase tax, whereas blue-plate vehicles must pay this fee in full. Regarding urban traffic management, policies vary significantly - green-plate vehicles often face no driving restrictions, such as being exempt from odd-even license plate policies that ban blue plates on certain days in some cities. Technologically, green-plate vehicles are predominantly electric, featuring low emissions, minimal noise, and environmental friendliness. Additionally, the registration process is faster, with priority given to new energy vehicle green plate applications. I believe choosing green plates represents an inevitable trend driving energy transition, though reliance on charging infrastructure requires consideration of community support - a factor that's rapidly improving.
