In 2025, the new energy vehicle (NEV) rural campaign has been officially launched. Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce, and the National Energy Administration jointly issued a notice on carrying out the NEV rural campaign, and announced a catalog of 124 models.
The national-level NEV rural campaign, which began in 2020, is now entering its sixth year. Compared with previous years, what are the differences in this year’s event?
Expanding Horizons: A Broader Array of Choices
From 60 models in 2020 to 124 this year, the lineup of models shortlisted for this year’s campaign is more powerful, with further expansion in quantity, scale, and brand coverage.
Among the shortlisted models, there are affordable micro-cars like the Wuling Hongguang MINIEV and Pentium Pony. These cars are budget-friendly and have low maintenance costs. There are also models such as the Wuling Xingguang and JAC Yiwei 3, which offer spacious interiors and meet multi-functional needs. They can not only serve family outings but also transport agricultural supplies. Moreover, well-known NEV brands like BYD Han, Aion, Voyah, and even Tesla, Xpeng, Li Auto, and NIO are included. These vehicles allow users to experience smart technology and enjoy a comfortable driving experience, meeting the demand for consumption upgrading in rural markets.
With 124 models selected, covering a price range from 30,000 yuan to 500,000 yuan, and including micro-commuting vehicles, plug-in hybrid off-road vehicles, new energy commercial vehicles, and pickups, a wider range of choices is provided for rural consumers. This also reflects the increasing maturity and diversification of the NEV market.
Beyond Sales: A Comprehensive Service Ecosystem
Notably, this rural campaign not only involves vehicle sales. Relevant departments will also organize after-sales maintenance service enterprises, charging and swapping service enterprises, financial service enterprises, etc. to go to rural areas in coordination, continuously optimizing the application and supporting environment for NEVs in rural areas.
In recent years, driven by the NEV rural campaign, the sales volume of NEVs in county and rural markets has increased significantly. According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, from 2020 to 2023, the total sales volume of models in the NEV rural campaign was 397,000 units, 1.0679 million units, 2.6598 million units, and 3.2087 million units respectively, showing a steady upward trend.
Addressing Hurdles: Overcoming Existing Challenges
Despite the upsurge, the NEV rural campaign still faces some pain points. For example, the charging infrastructure in rural areas is insufficient, with a small number of charging piles and uneven distribution, resulting in poor charging convenience, which is difficult to meet the growing charging needs of residents. There are also few maintenance outlets for NEVs, the maintenance technical level needs to be improved, and the supply of spare parts is not well guaranteed. To a large extent, these factors limit the promotion of NEVs in rural markets.
The sinking of the service network in this year’s NEV rural campaign, with supporting services shifting from single sales to an integrated service of sales, after-sales, charging and swapping, and finance, can be said to have upgraded from “single-point promotion” to a “system revolution.” This will accelerate the filling of the shortcomings in the consumption and use of NEVs in rural areas, improve the marketing and service network in rural areas, and promote the construction of charging and swapping infrastructure.
Future Prospects: Unleashing Market Potential
The industry generally believes that rural areas contain huge development potential for the NEV market. This year, the continuous expansion of the model lineup and the breakthroughs in content of the rural campaign are expected to further drive the growth of national NEV sales. At the same time, the rural campaign will also force the industry to develop. Automakers will be urged to seriously study the real needs of rural markets, increase R & D investment, and develop targeted, cost-effective models with reliable range to meet the core demands of rural consumers.
The dual drive of policy and market has laid a solid foundation for green travel in rural areas. The roar of the green engine is approaching from afar, driving into rural paths, providing strong impetus for rural revitalization and low-carbon development in China.
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