China's leading car-hailing company Didi Chuxing will purchase more electric cars to build a greater fleet of electric taxis for its on-demand transportation service.
Didi signed a framework purchase agreement with electric car producer NEVS in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Tuesday, but the two parties did not give details of the intended purchase.
Yang Jun, vice president of Didi Chuxing, said the company plans to boast a fleet of 1 million electric cars by 2020.
As the company's cars are used much more often than regular family cars, electric taxis can significantly save fuel use, he said.
"It has not yet reached the optimal time for ordinary Chinese families to purchase electric vehicles due to the comparatively high prices and the lack of chargers, but it is worthwhile for them to be used in the urban transport system because they provide energy cost efficiency," said Yang.
Didi Chuxing provides a variety of on-demand services in more than 400 Chinese cities, including ride sharing, taxis, buses, substitute drivers, car rental and service cars. The company handles as many as 28 million rides in a busy day, according to Yang.
"How to provide efficient and low-carbon transportation has always been the company's primary concern," he said.
