From now until the end of next year, users of NEVs in Shenzhen will be able to enjoy at least one hour of free parking per day.

(Image credit: Shenzhen government WeChat account)

In an effort to promote the adoption of new energy vehicles (NEVs) among local residents, the southern Chinese megacity of Shenzhen has introduced new policy support.

The Shenzhen Development and Reform Commission, the local economic planner, issued a notice on January 18 offering free parking benefits for local NEVs.

For parking facilities that are managed by government pricing, including those based on government guidelines, NEV users can enjoy free parking within one hour per day.

If the vehicle is charged in the parking facility, the parking fee is reduced for an additional 2 hours corresponding to the charging time.

If the vehicle is parked in an off-street parking space, users can enjoy a parking fee waiver for the first 2 hours of each day. If the first parking time is less than 1 hour, then the second parking time of the day is also free for 1 hour.

The NEVs covered by the policy include pure electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles and fuel cell vehicles and will be implemented from January 20, 2022 and will be valid until December 31, 2023.

Data released by the Shenzhen government in early August 2021 showed that the city's NEV fleet reached 480,000 units by the end of 2020, accounting for approximately 14 percent of the city's motor vehicle fleet, making it the city with the largest number of NEVs in China for the sixth consecutive year.

The most recent figures for the city's NEV fleet are not yet available.

China's NEV purchase tax incentive, set to expire at year-end, expected to continue