Owing to a failure to meet government-set fuel consumption standards, authorities in China are shutting down the production of 553 passenger vehicle models as of January 1st, 2018, the state news agency Xinhua has revealed.
The models to be affected by the China Vehicle Technology Service Centre production ban include those produced by popular brands, including some notable joint ventures. FAW-Volkswagen, Beijing Benz Automotive, Chery, and Dongfeng Motor Corporation all have models banned (amongst other companies).
“With the war on pollution in full swing, China has been pushing for green transportation by toughening emission limits and encouraging the use of new energy vehicles,” the report stated.
Reuters provides more: “China will extend a tax rebate on purchases of new-energy vehicles until the end of 2020, the government said last week, a boost for hybrid and electric car makers amid a shift by policy-makers away from the traditional internal combustion engine.
“Pollution is a hot button issue in China, with large swathes of the country regularly engulfed in smog, though the government has vowed to tackle the problem and the country may already have begun the turn the corner.”
Well, perhaps — but transitioning away from heavily polluting fuels and industries isn’t something that’s going to happen overnight. There’s a massive amount of work to be done. This new ban certainly sounds like a nice start to the new year, though. It’s too bad such things aren’t likely to happen in Europe or the US anytime soon (or perhaps ever).
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