New energy vehicles draw interest at auto show

Global carmakers have pinned their hopes on China's electric car market which has the potential to become the largest in the world as government incentives help drive up demand.

China could become the largest electric car market within five years if the central government continued its incentives, including subsidies for buying green cars, and if there was a proliferation of charging stations, Andy Palmer, Nissan's chief planning officer said at the Auto China show in Beijing, which opens to the public today.

The Japanese carmaker this year introduced its Venucia electric car, a brand produced with its Chinese joint venture partner Dongfeng Motor. Palmer said Nissan was bullish about the Chinese market because of the growing urban population and concerns over pollution.

"We already see pollution affecting people's health, and we are simply human so cannot afford to have this happen," Palmer said. "Carmakers can be part of the problem, or they can be part of the solution."

However, its plan to launch new models would still depend on the development of the market in the next two to three years, he said.

Any technology is expensive in the beginning and this is one of the difficulties facing electric vehicle development, he said. "Normally you need some kind of incentives from the government to stimulate that market. We see that happening now in many places around the world."

Developing a charging station network was another difficulty that would need government support, he said.