No EV? - No Licence!

Just imagine if markets outside of China adopted the same rule...

You only get a driving licence if you drive an EV!

Draconian for sure, but for many Chinese citizens that's just the way it is.

There are many aspects to China's unique zeal for New Energy Vehicles aka EV's

Urban Pollution

Energy Security

Industrial Policy

Strategic Global Mobility Ambition

Mandated Production Quotas

Paris Climate Agreement

Solar Energy

Not an exhaustive list but I'd suggest these are the key drivers.

Here's an interesting report on what's going on in the world's most populous nation:-

In addition, whilst the following is perhaps an unpalatable thought for Western minds, a downside of democracy is the on/off stop/go yes/no policy changes that switches in government inevitably bring. Ive no need to be specific - you get my gist!

Succesive - and connected - 5 Year Plans, are building a future for the country that business can work closely with government on. The perfect model then? Absolutely not!

The unintended consequences of rapid economic growth abound, and much of what is being done is undeniably reactive. However, the country is reacting - and reacting far more rapidly than much of the west.

It could be said that the manufacture and sale of the combustion engine is a kind contingent liability for countries like Germany and the USA , and therefore governments work in close cahoots to maintain the status quo as an economic imperative. Fine in the short term - but in many ways this simply means the barn doors are wide open for Chinese automakers and tech players to walk right in!

A few articles on that these past few years :-

The recent announcements that from 2040 (or a bit earlier) ICE will be banned is well intentioned, but over and above tech development, the key part of that ambition must be a business model that works for all parties. A model that works at individual, corporate, and country level...and I've seen little or no narrative on that emerging to date.

All to play for then!