China first to produce over 10m NEVs in a year

China's year-to-date new energy vehicle production volume surpassed 10 million units on Thursday, making it the first country in the world with an annual production that has crossed that milestone, and China will continue to accelerate the comprehensive market-oriented expansion of NEVs, a senior official said.

The country will strengthen the building of a green supply chain system and promote the coordinated carbon reduction of the entire industry chain, Xin Guobin, vice-minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said in Wuhan, Hubei province, on Thursday.

Last year, the annual production volume of NEVs in China totaled 9.59 million units. In 2013, the first year that production and sales of NEVs were included in the statistical system, only 18,000 units were produced, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

"This marks a new stage of high-quality development of China's NEV sector based on industrialized and market-oriented operations, and with a focus on large-scale production and globalization," said Fu Bingfeng, secretary-general of the association.

Yet, some countries have introduced unfair trade policies to protect their local enterprises, disrupting regular international trade orders. China's domestic automobile market has also experienced some disorderly competitions, and these issues need to be seriously addressed. Comprehensive innovation and broader cooperation are imperative for further growth, Xin said.

Meanwhile, Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng Motors' flying car unit Xpeng Aeroht has taken a giant leap into the future of transportation with the first public flight of its "Land Aircraft Carrier", the world's only car capable of storing an "aircraft" in its trunk, during the ongoing 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, Guangdong province.

A key player in the low-altitude economy sector, Xpeng Aeroht netted new orders of 2,008 units of the flying car at the airshow. The order, the largest of its kind globally, saw customers come from sectors such as transportation, tourism, real estate and technology.

Zhao Deli, founder of the company, said the product carries a price tag of less than 2 million yuan ($276,115) each, and that a price cut may be possible as demand grows.

"The order has driven the commercialization process of flying cars, attracted capital attention and provided strong support for the low-altitude travel ecosystem. Flying cars are expected to create a new experience of airborne sightseeing. For real estate, it could provide air connections for high-net-worth clients," said Liu Xufeng, a senior consultant at consultancy Frost & Sullivan.

The company's flying car manufacturing base is under construction in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, and is set to become the world's first mass-production facility for flying cars using a modern assembly line. With a planned annual capacity of 10,000 units, the factory is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2025, with deliveries starting in 2026.

zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn