China boosts fleet of electric, hybrid vehicles amid anti-pollution push

Chinese authorities have announced plans to boost the number of electric, hybrid and other alternative fuel-powered vehicles used for public transportation, while sales of such cars for private use have spiked in recent months.

The Transport Ministry announced Wednesday that officials aimed to add 200,000 buses and 100,000 taxis powered by alternative fuels by 2020. Last year, the country added 15,000 alternative fuel-powered buses to its roads.

Sales of alternative-fuel vehicles have spiked in recent months as China fights rampant pollution.

China Association of Automobile Manufacturers reported that 5,996 electric vehicles were sold in January and February of this year, 4.2 times the number sold during the same period last year. Another 6,444 hybrid vehicles were sold during those two months, 2.2 times more than the same period last year.