In Beijing, measures have been introduced to phase out vehicles that cause heavy pollution, combined with financial incentives to facilitate the shift to cleaner vehicles.
Yellow-label vehicles will be prohibited from driving within the 5th Ring Road, and from October 1, 2009, they will be banned within the 6th Ring Road.
There are 353,800 yellow-label vehicles, which account for just 10% of the total of about 3.5 million motor vehicles registered in Beijing, but for 50% of emissions. Yellow-label vehicles are those that do not meet the Euro I emissions standards set in Europe in the early 90’s.
Violators will not be fined during a three-month grace period. After this grace period, people caught driving high pollution vehicles within the fifth ring road will be fined 100 yuan (US$15). That’s 13% of the weekly income of the average Beijinger.
Until the end of 2009, owners of yellow-label vehicles will be given up to 25,000 yuan ($3,700) as a reward if they stop using their vehicles, and drivers will be subsidized if they purchase environmentally friendly ones. This reward will be given on a prorated scale - in other words, the sooner Beijingers give up the vehicles, the more money they stand to receive. The city would also provide preferential loans to shipping and transport companies to upgrade their vehicle fleets to meet low-emission standards.
Coincidently, China will also levy a fixed sales tax of 0.8 yuan (US$0.12) per liter of motor vehicle fuel from January 1, 2009. The money collected would be used for road and water routes maintenance.
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References:
Polluting cars to be phased out - ChinaDaily.com
China takes new policies on car fuel levy - ChinaDaily.com
Beijing's New Year resolution: scrap polluting cars - Reuters
China to Ban High Pollution Cars from Capital - Ecoworldly.com
Average salary increase of urban workers rises to six-year high - Sina.com
Euro I emissions standards - Wikipedia
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Comments: 9
The temporary “cash for clunkers” program would work like this: Owners of vehicles that get less than 18 miles-per-gallon would be able to turn in those cars for $2,500 to $4,500 in credit toward the purchase of a more efficient model. The gas guzzler would be scrapped, getting it off the road forever.
The bill is sponsored by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who say the four-year program would retire up to one million gas guzzlers in the fourth year while saving up to 80,000 barrels of fuel per day.
In the House, the same bill was introduced by Reps. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Dennis Moore (D-Kansas).
http://washingtonindependent.com/25600/cash-for-clunkers-finds-its-congressional-sponsors
The government said it would support the alternative-energy vehicle sector by promoting the mass production of electric-powered cars in big and medium cities.
In the next three years, the government will provide 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) to automakers to help upgrade their technology and develop alternative energy vehicles.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2009-01/15/content_7398722.htm
Beijing previously announced a 4,000bn yuan ($585bn) overall stimulus package that will begin taking effect later this year.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/67408f48-e264-11dd-b1dd-0000779fd2ac.html
Furthermore, China has temporarily halved the income tax on dividends earned by individual investors, while engaging in share structure reform to float shares of state-owned listed companies.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/GF16Ad02.html
The program is expected to be implemented by early August, providing $1 billion for car sales through November. With a total budget of $4 billion, it could help some 1 million cars to be traded in for new ones.
Car owners could get a voucher worth $3,500 when trading in a vehicle that gets 18 miles per gallon or less, for a vehicle that gets at least 22 mpg. The voucher would grow to $4,500 if the new car's mileage was 10 mpg higher than the old vehicle. The mpg figures are listed on the car's window sticker.
Owners of sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks or minivans getting 18 mpg or less could receive a voucher for $3,500 if their new truck or SUV got at least 2 mpg higher than their old vehicle. The voucher would increase to $4,500 if the mileage of the new truck or SUV was at least 5 mpg higher than the older vehicle.
The new vehicle must have a manufacturer's suggested retail price of less than $45,000 and the old vehicle must be crushed or shredded.
Also have a look at Ontario's Green Vehicle Rebate of up to C$10,000.-