Rising EV Sizes Expose Outdated Parking Standards, Worsening Space Shortage

As new energy vehicles (NEVs) continue to grow larger in size, the problem of insufficient parking space is becoming increasingly acute. Many mid- to large-sized NEV SUVs currently on the market are nearly 2 meters wide and over 5.2 meters long, yet China’s current parking space design standards still follow the 2015 guidelines, which specify a standard small-car parking space width of only 2.4 meters. In practice, this leaves severely limited room for opening car doors after parking—especially in “reduced-size” spots adjacent to walls or pillars—making it difficult for drivers and passengers to get in and out normally and significantly increasing the risk of scratches and collisions. In some older residential communities and shopping malls, parking spaces are even narrower than 2.3 meters, creating a clear mismatch with today’s nearly 2-meter-wide NEVs. The existing standards were based on traditional compact cars with a width of 1.8 meters, which no longer reflects the dimensions of mainstream NEVs. Moreover, some developers further narrow side parking spaces to maximize the number of spots, exacerbating parking difficulties. To address this issue, some automakers have advised users to utilize automated or remote parking features, allowing occupants to exit the vehicle before parking and re-enter afterward, and have also offered trial parking services to assess space compatibility. However, these technologies still face limitations in extremely narrow or irregularly shaped parking spots and cannot fundamentally resolve the underlying space shortage. Citizens and industry experts are urging relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, to promptly revise garage design standards by moderately widening standard parking spaces, clearly stipulating requirements for dedicated or compatible parking spots for larger vehicles, and strengthening oversight and rectification of “reduced-size” parking spaces.