Burgeoning market

With greater public awareness of environmentally friendly vehicles and the need for sustainable growth, China's green auto industry is booming.

To encourage sales of new energy vehicles, the government has established preferential policies to consumers.

According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, the country's new-energy vehicle production almost tripled to 27,271 vehicles year-on-year in the first quarter. Sales increased 2.8 times over the same period, reaching 26,581 units.

Last year, 78,499 units of new-energy vehicles were produced, 3.5 times higher than in 2013, while sales more than tripled to 74,763 vehicles.

Chen Qingquan, chairman of the World Electric Vehicle Association and an academic at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, thinks small electric cars are the innovative driving force in the new-energy vehicle industry.

"A small electric car is the ideal tool for short urban travels. The new ZD D2 is in a globally leading position among small-sized electric cars. I think the ZD has a bright future in China's niche market," Chen said at the debut of the D2 in May.

The ZD D2 is expected to hit the Chinese market on June 19. Until then, the company refuses to release further details about the model. It is estimated to have a range of more than 180 kilometers, a top speed of 90 km/h and will take six hours for a full charge.

Currently the ZD line is produced in two factories in China with a total annual capacity of more than 200,000 units a year.

The company said its ZD line of autos has more than 400 dealerships in provincial capitals and prefecture cities around the country. The ZD line is also offered as a rental car in major Italian cities such as Pisa, Milan and Modena.