China is making a radical decision that will change the balance in the global automotive market by implementing the world’s first mandatory energy consumption standard for purely electric passenger cars. This new regulation, effective from January 1, 2026, transforms previously advisory limits into a legal requirement.

China Announces New Regulation

According to information shared by official authorities, this standard, titled “Energy Consumption Limits for Electric Vehicles,” sets specific electricity consumption thresholds based on the weight and technical capacity of the vehicles. Manufacturers will have to prove that new models they release to the market from this date comply with the legal consumption limits.

The new regulation tightens energy consumption criteria by approximately 11 percent compared to the previous voluntary framework. In this context, a maximum energy consumption limit of 15.1 kWh per 100 kilometers has been set, especially for purely electric passenger cars weighing up to two tons.

Authorities predict that these restrictions will result in an increase in range of around 7 percent through system-wide efficiency improvements, without increasing battery capacity. The regulation only covers purely electric models, while plug-in hybrid and range extender vehicles are currently excluded from these specific limits.

Economic sanctions and incentives are also directly linked to these new energy standards. The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Finance have updated the technical criteria for tax exemptions to be implemented in 2026-2027. Accordingly, electric vehicles that cannot meet the newly defined energy consumption limits risk being removed from the purchase tax exemption list.