In China, low-speed electric vehicles are driving high-speed urbanisation As nations around the world struggle to halt the Earth’s rising temperature, China has made the transition to low-carbon transport a priority. As part of the effort to develop low-emission vehicles, national electric car manufacturers have enjoyed significant support from the Chinese government. Yet their sales are dwarfed by those of a pint-sized competitor: the low-speed electric vehicle. Despite the name, low-speed electric vehicles (LSEVs) aren’t actually that slow. With a top speed of 60km/h, they’re fast enough for getting around big and heavily congested cities. Most models are compact, resembling three-wheeled utility vehicles or golf buggies –a practical solution for the dire lack parking spaces that have become a significant problem as more and more people take up driving in China. But perhaps the biggest draw of the LSEV is its cost efficiency, with an average price tag of £4,000. I still say we need to watch China as they are going in the right direction for urban transport as far as private motor vehicles go. Affordable commuter vehicles is where the tipping point will be, and not on the higher end luxury vehicles. The other advantage is that hopefully we can rid the roads of the very old polluting combustion engines that do not even have catalytic converters. See http://ift.tt/2i2HqJh
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