Nine Departments Jointly Issue Guidelines to Boost New Energy Vehicle Adoption in Rural Areas and Expand Charging Infrastructure

Recently, the Ministry of Commerce and eight other government departments issued the "Guiding Opinions on Further Stimulating the Vitality of Lower-tier Markets and Boosting County-level Consumption." The document calls for strong support for bringing new energy vehicles, green and smart products, and eco-friendly building materials to rural areas, as well as expanding the coverage of rural charging infrastructure. It also urges an increase in the supply of high-quality, affordably priced goods, encourages enterprises to introduce quality products into county-level markets, and promotes the simultaneous launch of new products in eligible counties alongside urban areas—ensuring that identical products are available with the same quality and accessibility in both urban and rural markets ("same quality, same access"). Additionally, the guidelines encourage businesses to develop high-quality products tailored to county-level consumer preferences and support commercial and distribution enterprises in building flexible supply chains through a model combining private-label products with demand-driven production.