The government will promote the use of hybrid public buses in all the country's cities, extending their promotion beyond the current 25 cities, the Ministry of Finance announced Monday.
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The central government hopes to bring 3,000 to 5,000 buses to the cities by subsidizing purchases of the vehicles, a statement on the ministry's website said.
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Subsidies will range from 50,000 to 420,000 yuan ($7,911 to $66,454) depending on the efficiency of the buses and the type of battery they use, the statement said.
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The statement said the buses must have a fuel efficiency of at least 10 percent, adding that bus manufacturers will need to offer a minimum three-year warranty for key components, including batteries and motors.
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The statement said bus manufacturers will have go through a competitive bidding process to provide their buses in non-trial cities.Â