China’s first mandatory national standard setting limits on energy consumption for electric vehicles will come into force on January 1, 2026, marking a major step toward improving efficiency in the country’s rapidly expanding EV market. The standard, Limits of Energy Consumption for Electric Vehicles – Part 1: Passenger Cars (GB 36980.1—2025), establishes compulsory requirements for electricity consumption by pure electric passenger vehicles. It is the first time China has introduced binding energy efficiency thresholds specifically targeting EVs. Under the new rules, automakers will be required to carry out necessary technical upgrades on newly manufactured vehicles. For passenger cars weighing around two tons, the standard caps electricity consumption at no more than 15.1 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometers. With battery capacity unchanged, compliance with the standard is expected to increase an electric vehicle’s driving range by an average of about 7%. [CCTV, in Chinese]
