Chongqing municipality in Southwest China has put 200 pure electric taxis into trial operation in downtown areas in an effort to boost greener development, according to local authorities.

The taxis, which are quieter and more spacious than fossil-fuel vehicles, will be able to travel 405 km on one charge, according to local traffic authorities.

Many Chinese cities have adopted policies to encourage the use of new-energy vehicles, including green financing, rewards for emissions reduction and subsidies for purchasers.

Traffic authorities in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen said that the majority of the city's taxis had been replaced with electric vehicles in January. Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong province, is expected to have all taxis in the city run on new energy in two to three years.