Roadmap 3.0: China Targets 80% EV Penetration by 2040

China has set out a fresh vision for the future of its car industry with the launch of the “Energy-Saving and New Energy Vehicle Technology Roadmap 3.0” by the China Society of Automotive Engineers (CSAE) on Oct 22.

Building on the earlier roadmaps from 2016 and 2020, this latest version lays out how the country plans to lead in electric, smart, and low-carbon mobility.

The roadmap targets the industry’s carbon emissions to peak by 2028, earlier than the national goal, before dropping more than 60% by 2040. By that time, over 80% of new vehicles sold in China are expected to be new energy models (xEV), most of them fully electric (EV).

China also wants its roads to be powered by intelligent connected vehicles, cars that can communicate with each other and with road systems to make travel safer and smoother. 

However, the focus isn’t just on new cars, but also on how they’re built. CSAE chairman Zhang Jinhua said the next wave of progress will come from smarter manufacturing as much as from new products.

By 2040, China expects to have a fully developed “vehicle-road-cloud” network that supports large-scale autonomous driving. Level 4 self-driving cars could be common by then, while Level 5 fully autonomous models start entering the market.

Traditional engines will still have a place, but in hybrid form. By 2035, all conventional cars are expected to be hybrids and by 2040, hybrid and plug-in hybrid models will make up about a third of new sales.

Electric commercial vehicles will also expand from city use to longer-distance transport, helping extend electrification across more sectors.

A major focus will be solid-state battery technology, which promises better performance and safety at lower costs. Small-scale production could start by 2030, with widespread use expected around 2035.

By 2040, China aims to have a fully modernised and globally competitive automotive industry, efficient, data-driven, and sustainable. Local brands and suppliers are expected to play a stronger role in global supply chains, reinforcing China’s status as one of the world’s leading car-making nations.

With Roadmap 3.0, China isn’t just looking into electrification. It’s rethinking how cars are designed, built and connected, paving the way for a future built on smarter, cleaner, and safer mobility.

Source: CarNewsChina