24 Sep BYD head lobbies Beijing for early ban to combustion engine

THE FINANCIAL TIMES, September 21, 2017

A BYD assembly line in Shenzhen, where the carmaker has its headquarters © Reuters

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Earlier this month, China’s vice-minister of industry, Xin Guobin, said China was looking at banning combustion engines, without setting a time line for the ban. Britain and France have said they will ban traditional gasoline-powered cars by 2040.

However, analysts described Mr Wang’s remarks as lobbying, and not reflective of realistic policy goals.

“If you’re the leading seller of Chinese electric vehicles then you’re going to want this to happen as soon as possible. So of course it’s logical for Wang Chuanfu to say it’s going to happen quickly,” said Bill Russo, head of Automobility Ltd, a Shanghai-based consultancy. Mr Russo added that most of China’s auto industry was not ready for full electrification.

“It’s easy to set targets, it’s hard to achieve them,” he said. “I think you’re going to see a lot of lobbying on the part of Chinese companies and foreign enterprises who would prefer to keep the status quo.”