VISITORS to Liuzhou in South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region may be impressed by the industrial city’s colorful motley of small-sized new energy vehicles (NEVs), fondly nicknamed by locals as “baobao bashi,” or “baby bus.”

Around half the size of a common passenger car, the “baby buses” serve as police vehicles, wedding cars, and trunk shops in night markets. Some are shared vehicles that can be rented for 10 yuan (US$1.4) an hour.

The “baobao bashi” refers to Hongguang MINI EV and other electric vehicles produced by the locally based SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW), a joint venture between SAIC Motor, General Motors, and Liuzhou Wuling Motors.

The mini-cars have grown in popularity partly because of their affordability, with the cheapest version priced at 30,000 yuan. They can travel from 120 km to over 300 km on a single charge that costs between 6 yuan and 38 yuan, much lower than that of gasoline-powered vehicles.

They are also credited for providing a solution to urban traffic problems like parking and logjams. The mini-sized vehicles can ply smoothly in narrow alleys and occupy half the space of a standard parking slot.

Lin Qiujun, an official with Liuzhou’s development and reform commission, said the government has been promoting the use of “baobao bashi,” which emits no exhaust and is deemed more environmentally friendly.

Liuzhou has built more than 17,000 charging piles and is offering free parking spaces for the NEVs. Some government units also rent “baobao bashi” as official vehicles, according to Lin. (Xinhua)