Like falling dominos, the gas-powered car is being banned by a number of countries and states in the US. The latest to announce a ban is China. It will require all new cars to be “new energy vehicles” by 2035. The regulation will be overseen by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. However, there is still a bit of wiggle room but essentially all gasoline-powered vehicles will be banned by 2035.

The wiggle room comes in the details. Half of the new cars sold by then will have to be electric plug-in hybrid or fuel cell vehicles. The other half will be conventional hybrids that will still have to run on gasoline. Right now only 5% of new cars sold in China are what it calls “new energy vehicles.” China is targeting a steady increase toward that goal over the next 15 years according to Nikkei Asia. 

China wants 75% or all gas-powered cars to be hybrids by 2030

As for the non-plug-in hybrids, China wants 75% or all gas-powered cars to be hybrids by 2030 and then all of them by 2035. China’s plans call for stopping all gas-powered vehicle production by 2035 as well. It feels that his move will also force other countries to stop using these vehicles. 

All of this is in an attempt to target 2060 as the date for net-zero carbon emissions. All of this is an ambitious goal that if met will signal a huge reduction in carbon emissions. China is the largest market for vehicles. So it stands to reason that if it can make this goal it will be significant. 

Conventional hybrids burn gasoline 100% of the time

One problem with meeting that goal will be that by allowing conventional hybrids these types of powertrains burn gasoline 100% of the time. This type of system does more efficiently use gasoline by using braking to reduce energy loss. But they still use gasoline whenever they are being used. 

Because of how China is run it can mandate changes like this and make them stick. The government has a tremendous amount of control over manufacturing. So if it says jump industry asks how high? We can see this happening in Shanghai right now.

Shanghai mandates a $10,000 licensing fee for gas-powered vehicles

In Shanghai, there is a $10,000 licensing fee for gas-powered vehicles. EV vehicles do not pay a licensing fee at all. So the Chinese government can nudge consumer interest by monetary means. And it needs to do something to clean up some of the most polluted cities in the world. 

One of the advantages of large emissions is that you can see them in the form of smog. It is not invisible like radiation or natural gas. So its visibility is a reminder that you are breathing dirty air. And that visibility promotes change. 

California’s tough auto emissions regulations have improved air quality in the Los Angeles area. That is why it has taken the next step by setting targets to eventually ban gas-powered vehicles. It is already clamping down on diesel emissions from trucks. It is apparent that China is following the lead set by California, and so too has New Jersey. We may see other states following Cali’s lead in the near future.