A new energy car rental company opened in Beijing's Economic Technological Development Area, also named E-town, on Feb 8, together with a ceremony for the first group of locals that rented the vehicles, who may drive them home in the Spring Festival.

The Beijing Hengyu New Energy Car Rental Co, China's largest e-automobile rental and a joint venture of BAIC Motor Corp and Foxconn Corp started a free car rental activity with 500 E150EV electric vehicles for two time periods, Valentine's Day, Feb 8 – 15, and Spring Festival, Feb 16 – 24.

BAIC Motors is one of the mainland's largest car enterprises, while Foxconn is a high-tech mainland company invested by a Taiwan businessman.

For the activity, people could register at the event's website, Greengo.cn, by uploading electronic copies of their ID card and driver's license, with the winners to be selected randomly. For their convenience in picking up, returning and charging the vehicles, the company set up 12 car storage stations as well as 16 free charging points around Beijing. In addition, those with a Greengo card could charge their vehicles free at all 196 of the city's e-car charging points, cutting the daily car rental expenses in Beijing because of the lack of gas costs.

The new energy cars are meant to encourage short-time usage of cars in the crowded city and ease the parking problems in the city center, as well as maximize each vehicle's use, and cut travel costs of locals and car purchase or maintenance fees. There are about 1,000 energy cars in operation, with a great variety—Tesla, Zinoro, and vehicles from the BAIC group -- with BAIC's E150 having the largest number. Its single day rental fee is 159 yuan, and 30 yuan per hour. In the future, there may also be charges by the minute.