China: Light-Duty Fuel Consumption Standards

Passenger Vehicles

Regulatory Background

Fuel consumption standards for passenger vehicles in China first took effect in 2004. Early standards were per-model standards and certification used the NEDC test procedure. Corporate average fuel consumption (CAFC) standards first took effect in 2012 while also maintaining per-model standards. Standards in effect from 2021 onwards use the WLTP test procedure.

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Fuel Consumption Standards

The fuel consumption standards are summarized in Table 1.1 (Phase I - IV) and Table 1.2 (Phase V - VI). The effective dates refer to new models. The dates for all models are one year later for Phase I to Phase III, and two years later for Phase IV and V. In these tables, the per-model limits represent the maximum fuel consumption allowed for a vehicle with the corresponding curb mass. The values in the CAFC columns represent the target fuel consumption for a vehicle with the corresponding curb mass used in an enterprise’s CAFC target calculation. The CAFC target for each manufacturer/importer is calculated as a sales-weighted average of these vehicle target values.

Phase V Flexibilities

Vehicles with lower fuel consumption are assigned heavier weighting in the CAFC calculation that decrease over time. For example, the Phase V multiplier for passenger BEV, FCV, and PHEV models with a pure electric range of 50 km or more is counted as 2.0 in 2021 but decreases to 1.0 in 2025. The multiplier for models with fuel consumption lower than 3.2 L/100 km is counted as 1.4 in 2021 but decreases to 1.0 in 2025. This flexibility was intended to incentivize energy-efficient vehicles, such as BEVs, FCVs, and PHEVs while continuing to allow the production of less energy-efficient gasoline vehicles.

Fuel Conversion Factors

Phase IV and later CAFC standards require converting the fuel consumption of alternative fueled as well as the electricity consumption of BEV and PHEVs to gasoline equivalent values. The conversion values for converting electricity consumption to gasoline consumption are found in GB/T 37340. For CAFC purposes, the simple conversion method (Method I) of this standard is used. The 2019 version (GB/T 37340-2019) provides a conversion value of 0.10 L/kWh. The standard also includes other values that account for lifecycle emissions. For Method II, the conversion value is 0.22 L/kWh and accounts for lifecycle factors from the refinery to the vehicle for producing and supplying fuel. The conversion factor for Method III is 0.28 L/kWh and additionally accounts for lifecycle factors from electricity production including the proportion of thermal power generation, the CO₂ emission factor of standard coal and fuel, charging efficiency and line losses.

Light Commercial Vehicles

China’s first national compulsory fuel consumption standard for light commercial vehicles (GB 20997-2007), set the Phase I and Phase II limits for vehicle models based on vehicle weight, fuel type (gasoline and diesel), and engine displacement and took effect in 2008. The Phase III standard (GB 20997-2015) took effect in 2018 and set maximum fuel consumption limits for vehicle models based only on vehicle weight and fuel type. Phase I to III standards are based on the NEDC procedure. The Phase IV standard for light commercial vehicles was released in August 2024.

The Phase IV standard (GB 20997-2024) covers buses and trucks with a maximum gross vehicle weight of no more than 3,500 kg and takes effect on January 1, 2026. Special purpose vehicles, which include sanitation vehicles, armored vehicles, fire trucks, and rescue vehicles, are excluded. Highlights include [6305]:

• adoption of the WLTP,
• expanded scope to include BEVs, PHEVs, FCEVs) and vehicles powered by gaseous fuels and alcohol,
• adopting a weight-based linear regression for determining fuel consumption limits instead of the prior weight-class basis,
• switch the reference weight from curb mass to test mass (test mass = curb mass + 100 kg +mass of optional equipment + mass representative of vehicle load),
• tightens the per-vehicle limits by roughly 10% compared with Phase III,
• introduction of a CAFC requirement phased in from 2026 to 2030,
• introduction of compliance flexibilities such as off-cycle credits and electric vehicle multipliers,
• continue to require reporting of CO₂ emissions using conversion factors of 2,600 g CO₂/L for diesel and 2,370 g CO₂/L for gasoline,
• per-vehicle limit takes effect on January 1, 2026, for new type-approvals and February 1, 2028, for all new vehicles.

For each calendar year, each LCV produced in or imported to China must meet per-vehicle limits, Table 2, and each vehicle manufacturer’s fleet-average fuel consumption must meet the CAFC target requirements, Table 3. The CAFC target phase in starting in 2026. The actual CAFC values can be 24% higher than the target in 2026 and 2027, 15% higher in 2028 and 2029 and must meet the target starting in 2030. NEVs (BEVs, FCEV and PHEVs) and “Energy-saving vehicles” use multipliers from 2026 to 2029. For NEVs, the multipliers are 1.4 in 2026 and 2027, 1.2 in 2028 and 2029 and 1.0 starting in 2030. For energy-saving vehicles (non-electric vehicles with fuel consumption lower than or equal to the CAFC target value corresponding to the vehicle’s test mass from Table 3), the multipliers are 1.2 in 2026 and 2027, 1.1 in 2028 and 2029 and 1.0 starting in 2030. While off-cycle credits will be available, they will be defined later. The fuel consumption of BEVs, FCEVs and the pure electric driving mode of PHEVs is set to zero when calculating CAFC. For vehicles powered by gaseous fuels and alcohol, fuel consumption needs to be converted into gasoline- or diesel-equivalent values.