China to Accelerate Development of Key Automotive Industry Standards During the 15th Five-Year Plan Period

The newly reconstituted National Technical Committee on Automotive Standardization was inaugurated in Beijing on April 16. A responsible official from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology stated that during the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" period (2026–2030), China will accelerate the development of key core standards for the automotive industry, strengthen the guiding role of standards in industrial development, and promote improvements in product quality. Priority areas for standard development and revision include vehicle adaptability to extreme environments, cycle life of power batteries, energy consumption limits for new energy vehicles (NEVs), and electromagnetic environmental compatibility. Additionally, efforts will be accelerated to establish standardization systems in cutting-edge fields such as solid-state batteries and automotive artificial intelligence, and to advance the formulation and revision of standards related to megawatt-level charging, intelligent chassis, and large-angle automotive seats. During the "Fourteenth Five-Year Plan" period (2021–2025), China issued a total of 647 national and industry standards covering automotive safety, energy efficiency, and low-carbon requirements. Comprehensive implementation of standards in key areas—including NEVs, intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs), and automotive chips—has supported the industry’s transformation and upgrading. Annual NEV production and sales surged from 3.5 million units in 2021 to 16 million units in 2025, maintaining China’s position as the world’s largest NEV market for 11 consecutive years. Moreover, ICVs equipped with combined driving assistance systems now account for over 60% of the passenger vehicle market, and autonomous driving technologies are being demonstrated in multiple scenarios, including long-haul freight logistics, urban sanitation, and unmanned delivery services.