CHINA UNVEILS “15TH FIVE-YEAR PLAN” ROADMAP FOR INTELLIGENT CONNECTED NEW ENERGY VEHICLES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Beijing, China — September 11, 2026 — The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of the People’s Republic of China held a joint press conference in Beijing today to detail the high-quality development of China’s Intelligent Connected New Energy Vehicle (ICNEV) industry and formally introduce key strategic targets and deployment plans under the newly formulated “15th Five-Year Plan” for ICNEV Industry Development (2026–2030).

The briefing featured key representatives from four major state bodies: Guo Shougang, Director-General of the First Equipment Industry Department of MIIT; Shao Ji, Deputy Director-General of the Industry Development Department of the NDRC; Cao Wen, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Outward Investment and Economic Cooperation of MOFCOM; and Zhu Meina, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Standards Technical Management of SAMR. The event was moderated by Gong Xian, MIIT spokesperson and Deputy Director of the General Office.

Remarkable Achievements During the “14th Five-Year Plan” (2021–2025)

According to MIIT officials, China built a robust global competitive advantage across the ICNEV value chain during the 14th Five-Year Plan period:

• Production & Supply Chain Dominance: China has constructed a complete, highly integrated supply chain. Production of NEVs, power batteries, and key core materials accounts for over 70% of the global total. Five Chinese NEV manufacturers and six power battery manufacturers currently rank among the top 10 globally in sales volume.

• Rapid Market Expansion: NEV sales in China surged from 1.367 million units in 2020 to 16.49 million units in 2025, achieving a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 65%.

• Smart Feature Penetration: The penetration rate of combined driver assistance systems (L2/L2+) in passenger vehicles grew dramatically from 16.2% to 64.9%.

• Global Footprint: Chinese NEVs and components are now exported to over 100 countries and regions, providing strong momentum for the global transition toward green mobility.

Key 2030 Development Targets: The “1+4” Strategic Framework

Looking ahead to the “15th Five-Year Plan” period (2026–2030), MIIT unveiled the “1+4” target structure designed to consolidate China’s full-chain advantages and accelerate the transition toward green, intelligent, high-end, and internationalized vehicle technology:

1. Overall Target: By 2030, China aims to solidify its full-chain advantages in ICNEVs, achieve commercial-scale adoption of autonomous driving features, and significantly enhance key technology, industrial structure, international presence, and socio-economic benefits.

2. Market Penetration Goals:

   • NEVs to account for 70% of total new passenger vehicle sales in China by 2030.

   • Commercial vehicle NEV penetration to reach 40%.

3. Energy Efficiency Thresholds: Average fuel consumption for passenger cars to reach 3.3 L/100km, while pure electric passenger car power consumption will be optimized to ~11.5 kWh/100km.

4. Autonomous Driving Applications: Scale implementation of highly automated driving (L3/L4) across highways, urban expressways, and designated urban road scenarios.

5. Productivity & Competitiveness: Industry-wide labor productivity is targeted to rise by 15% compared to 2025, supported by the growth of world-class vehicle and parts enterprises.

Policy Framework: 17 Key Tasks, 4 Major Engineering Projects & 3 Actions

To support these 2030 targets, the government has detailed a multidimensional action plan:

• Green Development: Update energy consumption standards, optimize the “Dual-Credit” management scheme, establish carbon footprint tracking systems for batteries, and roll out a national Digital Battery Passport. Achieve 100% county-level coverage for charging and battery-swapping infrastructure.

• Intelligent & Connected Infrastructure: Expand “Vehicle-Road-Cloud” (V2X) integration pilot projects, construct trusted data spaces, and launch the “AI + Automobile” Action Plan to integrate deep learning and AI into vehicle software and manufacturing.

• Quality & Safety Assurance: Enforce stricter vehicle type-approval reviews, enhance production consistency checks, improve battery performance in low temperatures, and strengthen functional, network, and data security.

• International Cooperation: Deepen coordination with global regulatory platforms (e.g., UN/ECE), align domestic standards with international laws, improve cross-border logistics and financial services, and foster sustainable multi-lateral industrial partnerships.

“The ’15th Five-Year Plan’ period represents a vital window of opportunity for the global automotive sector’s transformation. China remains dedicated to open collaboration, tech innovation, and strict safety governance to contribute positively to sustainable global mobility.”

— Guo Shougang, Director-General, Equipment Industry Department I, MIIT