The path toward high-quality growth for China's new energy vehicle industry during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period was the central topic at a State Council Information Office press conference held on August 26, 2026. Xin Guobin, Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology, acknowledged the complexity of the challenge.
During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the industry achieved remarkable scale, with annual sales soaring from 1.367 million vehicles to 16.49 million units. The share of new energy vehicles in overall car sales climbed from 5.4% to 47.9%, reflecting a leap from a million-unit to a ten-million-unit industry. The sector's foundation has solidified, with China's technological prowess in vehicle integration, power batteries, and LiDAR now ranking among the world's best. The nation also accounts for more than 70% of global production of new energy vehicles, power batteries, and key materials.
However, Xin Guobin highlighted persistent challenges that require urgent attention. Irrational competition remains a significant concern, with some "aggressive" innovation designs being deployed in vehicles without sufficient experimental validation. There have also been publicized incidents related to vehicle quality and autonomous driving safety. The Vice Minister stressed that these issues are critical and unavoidable, identifying them as key priorities that must be addressed with increased effort during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period.
To tackle these challenges, the Ministry has developed a dedicated plan for the intelligent connected new energy vehicle industry. The first strategic focus is to enhance product quality. This will involve supporting key enterprises in intensifying their technological research and development, improving the low-temperature adaptability and durability of power batteries, and boosting the safety and reliability of autonomous driving systems. The Ministry will also advance pilot programs for the market access and on-road testing of intelligent connected vehicles, including the "vehicle-road-cloud integration" initiative, to deliver greener and smarter products to consumers.
The second focus area is optimizing the usage environment. The Ministry will implement policies to encourage vehicle trade-ins and promote new energy vehicles in rural areas. Pilot projects will address charging infrastructure gaps in counties, with the goal of achieving full coverage of charging stations in all counties and charging piles in all townships. Additionally, efforts will be made to establish a more robust vehicle modification management system, refine insurance policies for new energy vehicles, and reduce maintenance costs. These steps aim to alleviate consumer concerns and boost their confidence in purchasing and using these vehicles.
The third priority is refining the industry's governance structure. This includes advancing reforms to manage automobile production qualifications on a group basis and optimizing the industry's overall layout. The Ministry will also strengthen the review of product innovation designs and enhance testing and validation management, strictly prohibiting the market entry of products that have not undergone sufficient verification. Furthermore, increased supervision of production consistency will protect consumer rights and help standardize the competitive landscape.
Finally, the fourth area of focus is deepening international cooperation and exchange. The Ministry plans to leverage bilateral and multilateral mechanisms to enhance coordination in the development of international standards and regulations. Efforts will also be made to improve supporting infrastructure for cross-border logistics, investment, and financing. By steadily advancing international trade and investment cooperation, the goal is to make greater contributions to the global transformation and upgrading of the automotive industry.