China's vehicle fleet grows 12% to 172 million in 2015
China's vehicle fleet grew nearly 12 percent to 172 million vehicles last year, according to China's Ministry of Public Security.
At year end, the number of cities in China with fleets exceeding 1 million vehicles rose to 40, up from 35 a year earlier, government figures show.
Among those 40 cities, 11 had fleets exceeding 2 million vehicles, up from eight at the end of 2013. The group of cities with vehicle fleets that now total 2 million or more are Beijing, Tianjin, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Suzhou and Hangzhou, Chongqing, Zhengzhou and Xi'an.
China had 280 million motorists last year, up nearly 14 percent. Nearly 26 percent of those motorists were women, an increase of 2.2 percentage points from a year earlier.
Gridlock caused by China's fast-growing vehicle fleet has forced Beijing, Shanghai and several other major cities to limit the sale of new vehicles. Those policies have given a boost to sales of electric cars and plug-in hybrids, which are generally exempted from the limits.
Among those 40 cities, 11 had fleets exceeding 2 million vehicles, up from eight at the end of 2013. The group of cities with vehicle fleets that now total 2 million or more are Beijing, Tianjin, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Suzhou and Hangzhou, Chongqing, Zhengzhou and Xi'an.
China had 280 million motorists last year, up nearly 14 percent. Nearly 26 percent of those motorists were women, an increase of 2.2 percentage points from a year earlier.
Gridlock caused by China's fast-growing vehicle fleet has forced Beijing, Shanghai and several other major cities to limit the sale of new vehicles. Those policies have given a boost to sales of electric cars and plug-in hybrids, which are generally exempted from the limits.
