New Energy Vehicle Rural Promotion Upgraded to National Strategy

[Policy Update] The 2026 New Energy Vehicle (NEV) rural promotion campaign has seen a significant increase in substantive support.

Core Development: Included for the First Time in Central Document No. 1, Elevated to National Strategic Initiative

Central Document No. 1 of 2026 has, for the first time, designated new energy vehicles as a key focus area for rural revitalization, explicitly positioning them as the "core driver for rural consumption upgrading" and elevating the rural promotion campaign from a departmental measure to a national strategic project.

Key Figures: 155 Models Selected, Subsidies Fully Liberalized

This year's rural promotion campaign features a record-high 155 qualified vehicle models. Trade-in subsidies are no longer subject to quota limits, and the initiative simultaneously integrates end-to-end services—including sales, maintenance, charging and battery swapping infrastructure, insurance, and credit—enabling coordinated deployment across county-level markets.

Industry Impact: County and Rural Markets Emerge as New Growth Engines

According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), NEV rural promotion activities from 2020 to 2025 have cumulatively driven over 20 million vehicle sales in county and rural areas, transforming these markets from supplementary segments into critical growth engines for the industry.