It is not difficult to see why promoting electric vehicle technology appeals to the Chinese government. Widespread use of electric vehicles means less oil imports, improving the country's energy security. It would also mitigate carbon emissions from the fast-growing transportation sector, improving air quality. And the economic advantage of leading in the electric vehicle industry could provide a new economic engine.

The Chinese government started its large-scale support of electric vehicle research and development with the National High-Technology Research and Development Program (or 863 Program) in 2001. It then began the Ten Cities, Thousand Vehicles Program in 2009 with large-scale pilot projects. By the end of 2010, this program had expanded from 10 to 25 cities with six of them subsidizing private purchases.

The State Council, China's cabinet, identified new energy vehicles as one of seven strategic new industries in 2012 and approved the Energy Saving and New Energy Vehicle Industry Development Plan, aiming to sell 500,000 battery-powered electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids by 2015 and 5 million by 2020.