(Yicai) Feb. 29 -- The total number of new energy vehicles in use in China will likely reach 100 million by 2030, according to a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

NEV sales in China are expected to top 20 million units by 2030, achieving a market share of over 70 percent, Ouyang Minggao told the media during a communication conference on Feb. 27.

There were just over 20.4 million NEVs in use in China as of the end of last year, 15.5 million of which were pure electric cars, according to the latest data from the country’s Ministry of Public Security. Around 9.5 million NEVs were sold in China last year, up 38 percent from a year earlier and achieving a market share of nearly 32 percent, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed.

NEVs are expected to seize about 40 percent of the Chinese automobile market this year and over 50 percent by 2026, Ouyang predicted.

China’s NEV market is entering a stage when electric vehicle manufacturers compete with each other for a larger market share, moving up from a stage where they focused on general development, Ouyang noted. Moreover, the market ushered in the decisive moment for the competition between NEVs and fossil fuel-powered cars, he added.

The market of plug-in hybrid vehicles is expected to sharply rise in the short term, thanks to their high cost-performance ratio and comprehensive functions, but pure-electric cars will eventually secure the dominant position in the NEV market, according to Ouyang.

The sales growth of new energy trucks will likely outperform that of new energy sedans, as their sales volume will probably double to 70,000 units this year, Ouyang said.

NEV manufacturers are still facing challenges and risks in the development phase, Ouyang noted. Eventual market shake-ups will likely be brought about by the maturity of technologies regarding solid-state batteries and autonomous driving, that are now under development. In addition, green policies will have to be constantly updated to economically encourage car users to choose NEVs.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Futura Costaglione