China, Moving to Cut Emissions, Halts Production of 500 Car Models
China is suspending the production of more than 500 car models
that do not meet its fuel economy standards, several automakers confirmed Tuesday, the latest move by Beijing to reduce emissions in the world’s largest auto market and take the lead in battling climate change.
The fact that Chinese automakers like the state-run giant Dongfeng Motor Corporation did not appear to be spared “shows
that the government is not playing favorites in trying to meet their goals,” said Bruce M. Belzowski, managing director of the Automotive Futures group at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
“This shows their emissions standards have teeth.”
The Chinese government has already become the world’s biggest supporter of electric cars,
offering automakers numerous incentives for producing so-called new energy vehicles.
China has dozens of small-scale automakers — some producing just a few hundred cars a year — and the central government has tried to consolidate its auto industry, a factor
that most likely also played a role in the suspension.
Late last month, China said it was going ahead with plans to create the world’s largest carbon
market, giving Chinese power companies a financial incentive to operate more cleanly.
