China on Friday said it will introduce export controls on pure electric passenger cars, amid domestic concerns over excessive price competition among the country's EV makers and global complaints about a flood of cheap cars.
The Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, along with the customs administration and market regulator, said the decision is part of an effort to "promote the healthy development of new energy vehicle trade."
The licensing regime will come into effect on Jan. 1, 2026. Application procedures and the issuance of export licenses will be carried out according to a related notice issued back in 2012, the departments said, without elaborating. The cars will be subject to customs inspection.
Exports have become a growth engine for Chinese EV manufacturers as they battle for market share at home. BYD, the top player, said export volumes of new energy vehicles -- a term that covers pure EVs and hybrids -- in August were up 2.5 times compared to a year earlier.
At the same time, aggressive export strategies have prompted pushback from some countries.
The European Union last year imposed new duties on Chinese EVs. In Mexico, China's biggest car export market this year, President Claudia Sheinbaum recently submitted a bill proposing additional tariffs on more than 1,400 items, including by up to 50% on cars.
China's commerce ministry on Thursday said it will launch an investigation into the proposed tariff hikes.