Shanghai International Automobile City is planning to lease electric cars at transport hubs, possibly as early as April.

The pilot program will start with 50 e-cars placed at subway stations, universities and hospitals, Cao Guangyu, deputy general manager of the auto manufacturing base, was quoted as saying by Wenhui Daily on Thursday.

Daily rental costs will not exceed 200 yuan ($32), the paper reported, citing an unnamed source.

"E-car leasing is our focus this year, but there are no detailed plans," an employee at Shanghai International Automobile City in Jiading district told China Daily on March 7.

It has been 12 years since China raised the idea of developing e-cars, and the market is far from accepting new-energy vehicles.

Experts said it is important to change the situation by developing lease services for potential customers who still have misgivings about the zero-emissions vehicles, which are criticized for expensive batteries and a limited driving range.