The number of electric-vehicle charging stations in Beijing will be doubled by the end of 2015 to encourage the use of new-energy vehicles, local authorities said on Wednesday.

Beijing currently has 1,425 public charging stations at 188 sites. They are expected to be open to the public ahead of the Spring Festival on Feb. 19, said Xu Xinchao, head of the new energy and materials department with the municipal science and technology commission.

The charging stations are located at shopping malls, office buildings, parking lots, airports, highway service areas, parks, technology parks and transportation hubs.

Xu said a charging station can now be found within a radius of five km from anywhere in the city.

However, the official called for more private investment in charging facilities to help increase their number in the capital city.

About 6,800 new-energy vehicles had been sold to private owners in Beijing by the end of 2014, according to the municipal commission of economy and information technology.

The Chinese government has been encouraging consumers to buy electric vehicles as one of the solutions to the country's pollution problems. But the plan has been hindered by limited charging infrastructure.

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