XIHU Taxi Service Co. put a total of 3,191 electricity-powered taxis into the Shenzhen market Wednesday, marking the 40th anniversary of the company and the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up.

It became the first company in Shenzhen to fully replace all of its fuel-powered taxis with e-taxis.

The introduction of the 3,191 BYD e6 taxis will help reduce carbon emissions by 100,000 tons a year. Shenzhen has set a time table to ensure all taxis in the city are electricity-powered by the end of 2020. Taxi companies can enjoy incentives and subsidies for purchasing and using e-cars.

Shenzhen is also the world’s first city to electrify 100 percent of its public transit bus fleet.

A total of 15,709 taxis, or 78 percent of all the taxis in the city, now run on electricity.

In 2018, the remaining 500 green cabs, which are restricted from Futian, Luohu, Nanshan and Yantian districts, the former Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, will be replaced with electric cabs and allowed to operate citywide.

The wide use of electric buses and cabs plays a significant role in improving air quality and constructing a beautiful Shenzhen.

According to Lou Heru, vice head of the city’s transport commission, the electric buses use 72.9 percent less energy than diesel buses. In a year, the buses could save the energy equivalent to 366,000 tons of standard coal, replacing 345,000 tons of fuel, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1.35 million tons. The e-taxis will save the energy equivalent to 119,000 tons of standard coal, replacing 116,000 tons of fuel.

Shenzhen was chosen in 2009 as one of the 13 cities in China to pilot a national new-energy vehicle program. (Han Ximin)