Clean vehicles may soon dominate China's car market

Emissions standards could force automakers to sell only clean vehicles in China

China is one of the largest markets in the world for new vehicles, but automakers may soon be forced to abandon conventional models in order to comply with the country's emissions regulations. Many of China's largest cities have been choked with air pollution, which has been linked to serious health issues for many residents. In order to fight air pollution, the Chinese government is focusing more heavily on promoting clean transportation, which is creating pressure on automakers to make hybrid and zero emission vehicles, such as those equipped with hydrogen fuel cells.

Automakers are feeling pressure to develop and sell more clean vehicles

Honda expects that it will no longer be able to sell conventional vehicles in China by 2025. This is due to the strict emissions standards that will be taking hold within the next 10 years. Honda suggests that the standards will be so strict that it will only be able to sell hybrid and zero emission vehicles in the country. The emissions standards were first announced in 2013 and some of these standards have already taken effect, forcing automakers to increase the average fuel economy for vehicles to 47 miles per gallon by 2020.

Government incentives lead more consumers to purchase clean vehicles

Moreover, the sale of clean vehicles may outpace the sale of their conventional counterparts due to the generous incentives that the government is offering to consumers. These incentives support all clean vehicles, including those powered by hydrogen fuel cells and conventional battery technology. The incentives are designed to cut down on the cost of clean vehicles in order to make them more attractive to consumers.

Automakers are making an effort to support clean transportation throughout the world

Honda is among several automakers that have begun to ramp up production of clean vehicles in recent years. This has come as a response to emissions regulations becoming more strict in various countries as they attempt to combat climate change by mitigating emissions. Notably, many automakers are focusing on the development of fuel cell vehicles, which run off electricity produced by their fuel cell energy systems.