China’s Hainan province has reaffirmed its plan to end sales of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2030, maintaining its goal of becoming the country’s first provincial-level region to transition entirely to clean-energy vehicles for new and replacement purchases.
The target was included in Hainan’s 15th Five-Year Ecological Civilization Pilot Zone Plan, which outlines measures to accelerate transport electrification and support the province’s low-carbon development strategy.
Province Maintains 2030 Transition Timeline
Under the plan, clean-energy vehicles will account for all new and replacement vehicles used in public-service and commercial operations by 2030, excluding certain specialized vehicles.
The province also said all new and replacement privately owned vehicles will be new energy vehicles (NEVs), while maintaining a vehicle-to-charger ratio below 2.5 to 1 to support growing demand.
The latest policy reaffirms the timetable first announced in 2022, when Hainan pledged to phase out sales of conventional gasoline vehicles by the end of the decade.
According to the plan, NEVs are expected to account for 45% of the province’s total vehicle fleet by 2030, up from 23.75% in 2025. That target exceeds China’s national objective, which calls for NEVs to represent about 30% of the country’s vehicle fleet by 2030 under the State Council’s latest carbon-peaking action plan.
In China, NEVs include battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.
Hydrogen and Green Transport Also Prioritized
In addition to expanding electric vehicle adoption, Hainan plans to promote demonstrations of fuel-cell vehicles in heavy-duty trucks, cold-chain logistics and public transportation.
The province also intends to develop zero-carbon freight corridors, study green shipping routes and increase the use of shore power for vessels while encouraging alternative marine fuels including biodiesel, green ammonia and green methanol.
Officials said Hainan will continue expanding transport energy infrastructure by developing integrated supply networks for electricity, hydrogen, ammonia and methanol, including deep-sea energy platforms and refueling hubs.
The province noted that renewable energy has become its largest source of electricity generation and said it currently ranks among China’s leading regions for both NEV market penetration and the proportion of NEVs in its vehicle fleet.
Hainan is also continuing a public-sector vehicle electrification pilot in Haikou, focusing on logistics vehicles, sanitation fleets, taxis and ride-hailing services, while expanding province-wide charging and battery-swapping infrastructure.
If the 2030 target is achieved as planned, Hainan would become the first province in China to implement a complete phaseout of new gasoline vehicle sales at the provincial level.
Source: CnEVPost
