What is the difference between hybrid and pure electric vehicle license plates?
2 Answers
Hybrid vehicles are not classified as new energy vehicles; they are considered regular fuel-powered vehicles and bear blue license plates. Pure electric vehicles, on the other hand, fall under the category of new energy vehicles and are issued green license plates. Below is a related introduction to the differences between hybrid and pure electric vehicle license plates: 1. License plate number: Compared to regular vehicle license plates, new energy vehicle license plates have an additional digit. This approach prevents "duplicate numbers" with regular vehicle license plates and facilitates more accurate identification when vehicles are traveling at high speeds. 2. Different colors: New energy vehicle license plates feature a special emblem, with the overall background in green. 3. Different letter representations: The letter "D" stands for pure electric vehicles, while the letter "F" represents non-pure electric vehicles (including plug-in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles, etc.).
Having driven for over a decade, I've noticed the differences between hybrid and pure electric vehicle license plates mainly lie in the plate color and the starting letter of the number. Pure electric vehicles use green background plates with the letter 'D' at the beginning, representing zero-emission fully electric vehicles. Plug-in hybrids, on the other hand, also have green plates but start with the letter 'F', indicating partial electric drive with remaining fuel emissions. This distinction stems from China's new energy vehicle policies, where green-plated vehicles enjoy benefits like exemption from license plate lotteries, purchase tax reductions, and city driving restrictions, with pure electric vehicles receiving more incentives. When I drove a hybrid, the 'F' on the plate was immediately noticeable, with fewer policy restrictions, but pure electric plates carry a stronger environmental symbolism—spotting a green 'D' plate on the road instantly identifies it as pure electric. The different plate designs aren't just for visual distinction; they're also about registration management and encouraging people to choose greener vehicles.
