The New Green Transport Industry
Electric Vehicles in China
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34624/tpwvq802Keywords:
Belt and Road Initiative, Pollution, China, Transport, Renewable energy, Electric vehicle.Abstract
The growing global environmental pressure has led to the development of technologies that rely on renewable resources and clean energy. China, recognised as the “world’s factory”, home to a significant proportion of the global population and a major consumer of energy, faces an urgent need to develop so-called green energy. According to the 14th Five-Year Plan, published in 2021, China aims to promote the use of renewable natural resources and clean energy. The central government has actively driven the manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs) in response to the severe pollution affecting most of its cities. By 2021, the country had a total of 395 million registered vehicles, of which 7.84 million (2.6%) were electric vehicles – a segment that saw an increase of 59.25% compared to the previous year.
At the same time, the “Belt and Road Initiative” has strengthened cooperation between China and participating Eurasian countries in response to new demands within the international community, highlighting a convergence of interests in the development of this emerging industry. This presents a significant opportunity for Chinese electric vehicles. According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (Zhongguo Qiche Gongye Xiehui), China exported 679,000 electric vehicles in 2022, and this number is expected to double in 2023.
This study aims to analyse the current state of the electric vehicle industry in China by comparing data, consulting official documents, and reviewing reference publications. Firstly, the article presents the country’s main environmental challenges and the measures adopted by the Chinese government in response. The second section outlines the development of the electric vehicle sector in China and examines the opportunities arising from the Belt and Road Initiative. The article concludes with a critical analysis of the trajectory of this emerging industry.
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