Let a million EVs bloom
China wants to electrify its car fleet—and lead the global race to manufacture EVs
If, a decade from now, the automotive industry looks back it might see 2018 as the year when battery-powered cars turned a corner and lived up to their hype: not just admirable but pricey curiosities, but genuine competitors for the internal-combustion engine. If so, not one will miss the role China played. India won't have been a laggard either. Under pressure from Chinese regulators concerned about the health consequences of rampant levels of pollution, the world's major automobile manufacturers will from next year unveil the first wave of new electric vehicles (EVs) and their hybrid-powered cousins [HEVs]. They will be cheaper, technologically more advanced than today's models. And while
Also in this section
1 April 2026
Emerging industry must work with policymakers to convince a broader pool of investors to buy into its long-term potential
12 March 2026
Role of world’s largest carbon cap-and-trade market under scrutiny as war in Iran threatens to drive EU energy costs to unsustainable levels
10 March 2026
Europe urgently needs to bring more projects to FID, as CCS investors warn they might divert capital to faster-growing regions
9 January 2026
A shift in perspective is needed on the carbon challenge, the success of which will determine the speed and extent of emissions cuts and how industries adapt to the new environment
