CHENGDU, Dec. 19 (NBD) -- The lagging behind of charging pile construction in China will hinder electric vehicle (EV) growth, said analysts. 

They urged the country to speed up the building of charging piles to further boost EV growth, especially after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Russia, Kazakhstan and other producers successively agreed to cut their output to boost oil prices.

Xinhua reported that by the end of 2014, the number of DC charging piles totaled 31,000, serving for over 120,000 electric cars. Shanghai, the largest promoter of electric cars (34337 units), is also facing shortage of charging piles (13454 units), a ratio of 2.6:1. Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan city cluster is one of 39 electric car pilot city clusters. Its infrastructures also lag behind the development of electric cars.

According to the Guideline for the Development of Charging Infrastructure for Electric Cars issued by the State Council, by the end of 2020, a relatively advanced and efficient charging system will be set up, able to serving for 5 million electric cars. Tong Guangyi, vice director of the electric department of National Energy Administration noted that 4.8 million dispersed charging piles will be in place, which brings the ratio of car and charging pile close to 1:1.

It is estimated that the present ratio has not reached 3.3:1, far away from the goal 1:1. The shortage of charging piles is hurting the development of electric car industry and actions are in dire need.