China will slash its new car registration quota by 37.5 per cent starting from next year to further restrict car sales as part of its efforts to curb pollution which has reached dangerous levels.
According to an interpretation of a five-year vehicle emission reduction plan (2013-2017) announced by the city government, the number of newly registered cars will be cut from current 2.40 lakh each year to 1.50 lakh by 2017.
A five-year clean air action plan (2013-2017), released earlier ruled that the total number of vehicles in the city would be restricted to around six million by the end of 2017 from the present 5.4 million.
Among the six lakh vehicles allowed to hit the road within the next four years, 1.70 lakh will be new energy vehicles which include battery electric, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell ones, state run Xinhua news agency reported.
In 2014, a quota of 20,000 new car registration will be given to new energy vehicles, and 30,000 in 2015.
In 2016 and 2017, that figure will be doubled from that for 2015 to 60,000 respectively.