Are there parking discounts for new-energy vehicles? Hainan has introduced a new policy to support the “ban on gasoline cars.”

Are there parking discounts for new-energy vehicles? Hainan has introduced a new policy to provide support. “Oil Ban” Process | China Automotive News

Following the recent announcement Following the 2030 ban on gasoline-powered vehicles, Hainan Province has introduced another new policy to accelerate the transition away from oil.

On August 1, the Hainan Provincial Development and Reform Commission issued the “Guiding Opinions on Improving Preferential Policies for Parking Service Charges for New Energy Vehicles” (hereinafter referred to as the “Opinions”), setting out a series of clearly defined guidelines. Accordingly, Hainan will introduce preferential parking‑fee policies for new energy vehicles within the year, offering discounts that exceed those for gasoline‑powered cars and even providing free parking in public areas.

“This is a pragmatic measure to boost automobile consumption and industrial development. It will not only support the ‘oil‑ban’ initiative and provide convenience for users of new‑energy vehicles, but also serve as a valuable model for broader adoption of NEVs, in line with the spirit of the July 30 meeting of the CPC Central Politburo, which emphasized strengthening parking‑facility construction and facilitating consumer spending.” Lang Xuehong, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Automobile Dealers Association and Director of the Industry Coordination Department He told a reporter from China Automotive News.

The “Opinions” set forth five key priorities for Hainan Province’s preferential policies on parking service fees for new-energy vehicles.

First, public parking facilities supporting schools, sports venues, museums, libraries, youth activity centers, elderly care institutions, and other public spaces—provided they have been approved for fee collection by the local municipal or county people’s government—shall offer free parking to new-energy vehicles.

Second, this applies to ancillary parking facilities at airports, railway stations, ports, transportation hubs, tourist attractions (sites), and public medical institutions that are subject to government‑set pricing, as well as to specialized (public) parking facilities constructed with full government investment. , On urban road parking spaces, new-energy vehicles are subject to parking rates lower than those for non‑new‑energy vehicles or enjoy free parking.

Third, for parking facilities serving residential communities that have not yet established conditions for negotiation and price-setting between property owners and parking service providers, the charging rates for parking services provided to new-energy vehicles shall be lower than those for non‑new‑energy vehicles.

Fourth, the people’s governments of the cities and counties where the facilities are located shall provide free short-term parking for vehicles entering such facilities, and the free parking period for new-energy vehicles should be appropriately extended compared with that for non‑new‑energy vehicles.

Fifth, we encourage and advocate that ancillary parking facilities at office buildings, shopping malls, entertainment venues, hotels, and other commercial parking facilities invested in and operated by private capital—where market‑determined pricing is permitted—adopt parking fee structures for new‑energy vehicles that are lower than those for non‑new‑energy vehicles, or appropriately extend the period of free parking.

The Opinions emphasize that all cities and counties in Hainan Province should, based on local conditions, implement a differentiated pricing policy for parking services, setting rates for new-energy vehicles lower than those for non‑new‑energy vehicles, according to different regions, locations, vehicle types, and time periods, and formulate corresponding charging standards.

Assist “Oil ban” takes the lead

In recent years, Hainan Province has placed great emphasis on developing new-energy vehicles and boasts a range of competitive advantages. First and foremost is its clean-energy advantage. By now, the share of installed clean energy capacity in Hainan has reached… By 2020, the share could reach 60%, and by 2030 it is expected to climb to 80%, which would position Hainan as a true clean-energy island. Second, Hainan enjoys a distinct geographical advantage: as an independent geographic entity, it facilitates the planning and management of new‑energy vehicle deployment. Third, its climate offers a significant benefit: with relatively high average temperatures and minimal seasonal temperature variations, new‑energy vehicles operate with greater efficiency.

According to available information, the current guiding document on parking fees for fuel-powered vehicles in Hainan Province is, at the provincial level, The “Hainan Province Measures for the Administration of Vehicle Parking Service Charges,” which came into effect on April 15, 2017, requires all cities and counties to strengthen local oversight, standardize charging practices, and does not specify concrete fee rates.

In various cities and counties across Hainan, specific fee standards are set either through government‑guided pricing or market‑determined pricing. The reporter learned that in Haikou City, there are parking lots ahead… Parking costs RMB 3 to 5 for the first 30 minutes or one hour, with an additional RMB 1 or 2 charged for each subsequent hour. Some lots also charge per visit, at RMB 5 to 7 per trip. In Sanya, parking facilities developed and operated entirely by private enterprises are subject to market‑determined pricing and only require filing with the price‑regulating authorities. At one such lot in the city, the first hour costs RMB 4, with rates increasing by RMB 2 per additional hour; a full 24-hour stay is billed at RMB 30.

Notably, the newly released “Opinions” explicitly stipulate that, with regard to parking fee standards, electric vehicles will be treated differently from fuel‑powered vehicles—a pioneering measure unprecedented in Hainan Province. According to officials, the primary purpose of these “Opinions” is to further promote the adoption of new‑energy vehicles and to provide greater convenience for their owners.

“By implementing a range of incentives, such as preferential parking rates or fee waivers, we can accelerate the adoption and deployment of new‑energy vehicles. This approach not only aligns with national policies but also constitutes a practical measure to drive energy and power‑system transformation, while offering valuable lessons for other contexts.” Professor Liu Rui, School of Applied Economics, Renmin University of China He told a reporter from China Automotive News.