The development of electric vehicles (EVs) in China has addressed both energy security and pollution issues.

Transportation is one of the major sectors for carbon emissions, accounting for a quarter of the global fossil fuel-based carbon emissions. Although the consensus among countries is to reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuels through the electrification of the transportation sector, in 2023, global carbon emissions reached a new historical high.

A report released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) indicates that in 2023, global carbon emissions reached a record high of 37.4 billion tons, an increase of 1.1% compared to 2022. The emissions mainly come from the combustion of fossil fuels, cement manufacturing, and other industrial sectors. The increase in carbon emissions, approximately 170 million tons, is largely due to the growth in electricity generation from fossil fuels, which accounts for about 40% of the total increase in emissions last year.

In China, with the continuous and rapid increase in vehicle ownership, carbon emissions in the transportation sector are also growing at a faster rate. Within the next 36 years, China faces an unprecedented challenge to achieve an upgrade from peaking to net-zero emissions.

At the same time, in the 2024 Energy Transition Index ranking released by the World Economic Forum, China is ranked 17th, with an 8.6 point increase over the past decade. In 2023, China significantly increased its installed capacity of renewable energy and continued to intensify its efforts to increase the production capacity of electric vehicle batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, and other important clean technologies. China, along with the United States and India, is leading the development of new energy solutions and technologies.

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According to top-level planning, to combat climate change, China aims to reach a peak in carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and strive to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

So, how should electrified transportation participate in the construction of green, low-carbon cities? From June 25 to 27, the 15th Annual Meeting of the New Champions (Summer Davos Forum) of the World Economic Forum, themed "The New Frontiers of Future Growth," was held in Dalian City. A sub-forum titled "Electrification of Urban Mobility" was co-hosted by the World Economic Forum and Caijing Magazine. Guests such as Wan Gang, Chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, Qian Chaoyang, Director and General Manager of China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd., Inga Petersen, Executive Director of the Global Battery Alliance, Niklas Gustafsson, Director of Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs at Volvo Group, and Paul Dennett, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, UK, discussed this topic.

Electrification leads to carbon emission reduction in transportation.

The electrification transformation of the automotive industry is crucial for promoting the achievement of carbon neutrality goals.Wan Gang suggests that the entire industry should consider how to manufacture cars in a more energy-efficient, lightweight, and low-carbon manner. If Chinese automotive companies do not focus on "rolling" low prices, but instead invest in high-quality development, the development of China's electric vehicles will enter a higher stage.

Wan Gang stated that for the development of electric vehicles, the country must have long-term goals, scientific research and innovation must take the lead, and long-term support is needed. "Electric vehicles are the trend of development, and this trend is unstoppable. We should firmly pursue this path and not slow down the pace of development due to setbacks along the way.

A study by the State Grid Shandong Electric Power Company indicates that an electric vehicle reduces carbon emissions by 9.78 kg per 100 kilometers. How was this calculated? A fuel vehicle generates 19.75 kg of carbon dioxide per 100 kilometers. Based on the carbon emission factor of the North China Power Grid, a pure electric vehicle generates 9.97 kg of carbon dioxide per 100 kilometers, a difference of 9.78 kg.

After reviewing the data, a reporter from "Caijing" found that in recent years, the trend of electrification in rental and ride-hailing services has become increasingly evident.

According to statistical data from the China Statistical Yearbook, in 2016, the proportion of new energy vehicles in rental and ride-hailing services was only 12%, and in 2018 and 2022, this proportion was 33% and 84%, respectively. By 2023, this proportion has risen to 87%. At the same time, the share of plug-in hybrid models in the rental and ride-hailing market has also reached 2.2%.

In contrast, the proportion of fuel vehicles in rental and ride-hailing services has dropped to 13%. Data shows that replacing each fuel taxi with a pure electric taxi can reduce carbon emissions by 5 tons per year, equivalent to planting 15 trees annually.

Carbon emission reduction is not only in the passenger car sector; the contribution of public transportation and commercial vehicles should not be overlooked.

Data released by the Ministry of Transport shows that, as of the end of 2023, the country had 682,500 public buses and trams, a decrease of 20,700 from the previous year, of which 473,900 were pure electric vehicles, an increase of 18,500, accounting for 69.4% of public buses and trams, an increase of 4.7 percentage points.

Unlike passenger cars, new energy trucks are business-to-business, which requires these trucks to operate 24/7. However, this also means that electric trucks have a strong dependence on the power grid.

"Our heavy-duty electric trucks weigh between 40 and 50 tons and can travel over 500 kilometers on a full charge, with 90% of the time in operation," Gustafsson stated.More importantly, Gustafsson believes that many trucks operate between cities, and if one city is determined to achieve zero emissions, another city will soon take similar measures. The impact of such a catalyst is profound.

An article in "Science" points out that, based on an estimate of 6 million commonly used electric vehicles with a monthly mileage of 1,000 kilometers, the annual reduction in carbon emissions from the use of pure electric vehicles can reach 7.0416 million tons, equivalent to the total carbon emissions of nearly one million people.

In the field of public transportation, the electrification replacement is being rolled out comprehensively and rapidly. The next step is from public to private, and private cars will gradually become popular in the future.

By the end of 2023, the national new energy vehicle ownership exceeded 20 million, of which pure electric vehicles accounted for 15.52 million, more than 76%.

Data from the China Automobile Industry Association shows that the penetration rate of new energy vehicles in China in 2023 was 31.6%, and it is expected to approach 40% in 2024. In addition, according to data from the National Passenger Car Association, the domestic retail penetration rate of new energy vehicles in May of this year was 47%, an increase of 14 percentage points from the 33% penetration rate of the same period last year.

Infrastructure construction still needs to be targeted.

In Peterson's view, purchasing an electric vehicle is another important family investment decision for consumers, in addition to buying a house. It is a long-term investment that requires key infrastructure to support it.

The key infrastructure lies in charging. In June 2023, the General Office of the State Council issued the "Guiding Opinions on Further Building a High-Quality Charging Infrastructure System." The National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration, together with all relevant parties, have continued to deeply implement the relevant arrangements and have achieved significant results.

Data released by the National Development and Reform Commission shows that by the end of May this year, the total amount of national charging infrastructure reached 9.92 million units, a year-on-year increase of 56%. Among them, public and private charging facilities reached 3.05 million and 6.87 million respectively, with increases of 46% and 61% respectively. China has built the world's largest, most extensive service range, and the most complete variety of charging infrastructure systems.

Wan Gang said that energy saving, environmental protection, and carbon reduction are the expectations of the public, so the development of electric vehicles also needs social support. At the same time, the market needs to be open, encourage private enterprises to enter, and closely integrate with state-owned enterprises such as the power grid, so that everyone can conveniently obtain electricity, use electricity, and use electricity safely.Journalists from "Caijing" have learned that in 2020, the number of private charging piles in China reached more than 850,000, while there were less than 800,000 public charging stations nationwide. The quantity of private charging piles began to rise, and many public charging stations are also operated by private enterprises, which reflects that encouraging private enterprises to enter can greatly aid the construction of charging infrastructure.

Thanks to the rapid development of the number of charging piles, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles in China has also made significant progress. However, the development of electric vehicles also faces some difficulties.

For example, how to install charging piles in old residential buildings, and how to solve the problem of charging difficulties on highways, especially during the travel season. At the same time, it is also necessary to develop digitalization, provide drivers with information such as charging time and location, and not let drivers worry about this, which are all directions that need to be worked on in the future.

In this regard, Li Chao, Deputy Director of the Policy Research Office and spokesperson of the National Development and Reform Commission, introduced at a press conference on June 18 that four aspects of work will be focused on in the near future.

First, optimize and improve the network layout. In terms of intercity, the focus is to accelerate the construction of charging and battery swapping infrastructure along highways. This year, the country plans to add 3,000 charging piles and 5,000 charging parking spaces in highway service areas.

In terms of cities, the focus is to combine urban physical examinations, the renovation of old urban communities, and the pilot construction of complete communities, to promote the construction and renovation of community charging facilities according to local conditions.

In terms of counties and rural areas, increase efforts to support the construction of charging infrastructure in rural areas, organize the construction of demonstration counties and towns for charging infrastructure construction and application, carry out pilot work to fill the gaps in county-level charging and battery swapping facilities, and organize coordinated charging and battery swapping services in rural areas during the new energy vehicle campaign in 2024.

Second, improve the level of operation and service. Accelerate the construction of the national charging facility monitoring service platform, improve the "easy to check" information service for high-speed charging infrastructure, and increase the guarantee of charging service during major holidays on highways. Continuously improve the standard system of charging infrastructure, promote the formulation and revision of advanced charging and battery swapping technology standards, and strengthen the quality and safety supervision of charging facilities.

Third, strengthen the guidance of scientific and technological innovation. Accelerate the promotion and application of intelligent charging facilities, and encourage the application of new technologies. Issue opinions on strengthening the integration and interaction between new energy vehicles and the power grid, promote the core technology research and development of vehicle-grid interaction, and explore the pilot application of bidirectional charging and discharging.

Fourth, increase support and protection efforts. Strengthen the construction and renovation of power distribution networks, implement and improve peak and valley time-of-use electricity pricing policies, and increase support in land use, financing, and other aspects.Enhancing the Proportion of Green Electricity, the Key Lies in "Synergy"

The development of electric vehicles (EVs) in China has addressed both energy security and pollution issues.

"Electric vehicles are mobile energy storage devices, which require innovation on the technological front to meet the needs. They can sell electricity to the grid during peak times and store excess electricity during off-peak times, thereby promoting the construction of grid regulation capabilities through peak shaving and valley filling," said Qian Chaoyang. He believes that vehicle-to-grid (V2G) interaction can increase the grid's adjustability, which is beneficial for the wider absorption of new energy sources.

In the rapid development of new energy vehicles, how to increase the proportion of green electricity (mainly sourced from solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, etc.) is an inescapable topic. It is understood that the current national proportion of green electricity is about 33%, and the proportion of clean energy generation in the southern five provinces and regions supplied by the Southern Power Grid is about 50%.

It is worth mentioning that this year, China's clean energy layout has continued to accelerate, accounting for about 60% of the global increase in solar, wind, and electric vehicles in 2023, contributing a significant force to emission reduction.

According to top-level planning, by 2030, China aims to reach a carbon peak, with the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption reaching about 25%; by 2060, when achieving carbon neutrality, China's non-fossil energy consumption share needs to increase from the current less than 16% to over 80%, and the proportion of non-fossil energy generation needs to rise from the current 34% to about 90%.

Qian Chaoyang revealed that wind and solar power generation are intermittent and cannot provide continuous and stable power supply, while the adjustability of the grid requires a certain amount of time to build and improve. Simply put, green electricity is volatile, and users need continuous and stable green electricity, which requires regulation of such fluctuations. This regulation is not enough with just the grid; it also requires the collective effort of all parties.

He further stated that matching is the most important link in increasing the absorption of new energy. In terms of the grid itself, it is about increasing the dispatching capability. This system's dispatching capability must be able to utilize the adjustability scattered everywhere, including electric vehicles. What is currently being done is called vehicle-to-grid integration.

Regarding how to increase the proportion of green electricity, the key is synergy. At the overall planning level, synergistic arrangements must be made. Qian Chaoyang believes that three points need to be achieved:Firstly, in the government's planning to promote the development of electric vehicles, it is essential to emphasize the planning concept of the integration of four networks. If the transportation network, power distribution network, information network, and data network can all be well integrated at the user's usage nodes, this will greatly facilitate the development of electric vehicles at the planning level.

Secondly, there is the business model. Electricity inherently has peak and valley characteristics, and electric vehicle drivers also have a rhythm of time. Currently, there is a policy of time-of-use electricity pricing for charging. During the day, when they arrive at their workplace, they can stop, and at night they can charge, with pricing policies that can well support this.

Thirdly, electric vehicles themselves are zero-carbon emissions. The batteries of electric vehicles, as mobile energy storage, can be aggregated together. After vehicle-to-grid interaction, they can increase the grid's adjustability, allowing for a wider range of new energy to be absorbed.

From these three perspectives, one is conducive to technical feasibility, one is conducive to economic feasibility, and one increases the green contribution rate. The country has proposed the construction of a new type of power system and the construction of a new energy system, which is to coordinate the five elements: source, network, load, storage, and charging. If all are coordinated and the differences in time and space, as well as peak and valley differences, are utilized well, with the passage of time and the effectiveness of investments, the green electricity can be significantly increased.

It is not only in China but also globally. Paul Dennett, the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester in the UK, said that as of April 2024, the city has 1,171 public charging points, which is three times more than in January 2021. On average, there are 40.8 charging points per 100,000 people, and the development is still positive, but "this scale still cannot be compared with China."

Manchester aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2038, a goal more aggressive than that proposed by the UK government. Under the impetus of this goal, "we have carried out urban zoning planning for the next 15 years, bringing together departments such as electricity, water, and environmental protection to jointly plan the infrastructure framework. At the same time, under this framework, we have built a platform for academia and the private sector," said Paul Dennett.