Beijing : China has begun studying when to ban the production and sale of cars using traditional fuels.
According to media reports, vice industry minister Xin Guobin predicted “turbulent times†for automakers forced to adapt the measures. He did not give details on when China, the world’s largest auto market, would implement such a ban. The United Kingdom and France have said they will ban new petrol and diesel cars from 2040.
“Some countries have made a timeline for when to stop the production and sales of traditional fuel cars,†Xin, vice minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, was quoted as saying at an auto industry event in the city of Tianjin.
Banning the sale of petrol- and diesel-powered cars would have a significant impact on oil demand in China, the world’s second-largest oil consumer. In July, Britain said it would ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2040 to cut pollution, replicating plans by France and cities such as Madrid, Mexico City and Athens.
