French media: China's electric vehicles are about to face a shake-up
China – After overdeveloping the electric vehicle industry, China is shifting from pursuing quantity to quality. In 2026, three government measures will completely change the industry landscape. On January 1, 2026, the mandatory national standard "Electric Vehicle Energy Consumption Limit Part 1: Passenger Vehicles" will be officially implemented in China, becoming the world's first mandatory limit standard for electric vehicle energy consumption.
AFP reports that dozens of Chinese electric vehicle brands may disappear as early as 2026, becoming victims of destructive price wars and unsustainable profit margins. After encouraging the emergence of numerous manufacturers, Beijing now seems to accept (and even actively promote) a natural selection process, from which stronger, more profitable, and more capable enterprise groups will emerge in the international market.
AFP said that China will introduce the world's first mandatory electric vehicle energy consumption standard in 2026. The era where simply equipping with a large battery could guarantee excellent range is gone. Manufacturers now must comply with specific energy consumption standards per 100 kilometers, or they risk losing certain tax incentives.
Higher safety standards
The third important signal is: China has announced a ban on using Tesla-like hidden door handles on vehicles sold starting in 2027. By mandating the use of mechanical devices that work under any circumstances, authorities prioritize actual safety, especially in accidents or electrical failures. Pseudo-demand designs will be eliminated. For example, Tesla once led a trend in new energy vehicle design with its hidden door handles, but now it faces controversy over door handle issues.
Tesla is redesigning its door handles, the cause being that some owners reported that electronic door handles failed, making it impossible to open the doors, and even children were trapped inside the car and had to break the window to escape.
AFP reported that obviously, China's policy concept is changing. This does not mean the government is giving up on electric vehicles, but rather that the policies are becoming more mature and focused on regulation, aiming to bring order to an industry that was once almost unregulated. Is this also a way to show sincerity to an increasingly cautious market? Foreign media answer with "likely." AFP said one thing is certain: in Europe, we know the more standards cars need to meet, the higher the price. The conclusion is that the competitiveness of Chinese imports will decline.
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1853163543268356/
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