The State Administration for Market Regulation recently officially announced that the “Energy Consumption Limits for Electric Vehicles Part 1: Passenger Vehicles” (GB 36980.1—2025) will be mandatory nationwide starting January 1, 2026. As the world’s first mandatory standard for electric vehicle energy consumption, this policy will drive the industry to shift from “competing on range” to “competing on energy efficiency,” injecting new momentum into the high-quality development of the new energy vehicle industry.
High and low temperature environmental energy consumption data will be included in the “Light Vehicle Energy Consumption Labeling,” allowing consumers to intuitively understand the vehicle’s real performance in extreme climates and avoid the confusion caused by “falsely advertised range.” In the future, when purchasing vehicles, consumers will need to pay more attention to actual energy consumption performance and policy compliance, in addition to the stated range.
The new standard will have a profound impact on the industry. On the one hand, nearly 40% of existing models will need to meet the standard through technological upgrades, otherwise they will face elimination; on the other hand, automakers need to increase R&D investment in areas such as silicon carbide inverters, aerodynamic design, and thermal management systems to improve energy efficiency. Furthermore, vehicles that fail to meet the standards will be removed from the 2026-2027 vehicle purchase tax exemption catalog, further forcing companies to transform.
The implementation of the world’s first mandatory standard for electric vehicle energy consumption marks the entry of China’s new energy vehicle industry into a stage of refined and efficient development. Driven by both technological upgrades and policy guidance, consumers will enjoy a more economical and environmentally friendly travel experience, while China’s automotive industry will consolidate its leading position in the global green transformation.
Post time: Jan-09-2026