Electric cars on display in Huzhou, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/hz66.com]

Nearly 2,500 units of new energy vehicles (NEVs) were sold in Huzhou, East China's Zhejiang province in the past two months, official statistics show.

The number of NEVs registered in the city had risen from 28,459 in 2021 to 30,951 as of Feb 28 this year, according to data from the Huzhou Vehicle Administration Office.

The pickup in sales of NEVs in the city can be attributed to factors including the rise in fuel oil prices and increased availability of charging facilities.

As of last year, 21,238 private-owned charging piles and 3,355 public charging piles had been installed in Huzhou.

Though NEVs generally cannot travel as far as petrol vehicles, long-distance travel does not appear to be a concern for local purchasers. Statistics show that Huzhou residents had on average traveled out of the city less than 10 times in 2021, which means that most of their driving time is spent within the city.

In addition, two-seater electric cars rolled out by some car-makers have been highly popular among female consumers.

Despite the increase in sales, some consumers still prefer traditional fuel vehicles over NEVs, and this is mainly because of the latter's technological immaturity and prohibitive prices - most NEVs in China cost more than 200,000 yuan ($30,769).