Eric's Insight: New energy vehicles lead green growth in China’s Yunnan
The SAIC Anji cargo ship exports vehicles from Yantai port in east China's Shandong province on May 15. Photo/China Daily
Energy is essential to human survival and development. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the country has experienced rapid growth in its energy sector. Now China is building up a clean, safe and efficient energy system to reach its “dual carbon” goals, where new energy vehicles play a key role.
China has formed a large-scale market for new energy vehicles, with the production and sales volume ranking first in the world for nine consecutive years, and it is expected that the total output of Chinese electric vehicles will reach 11.5 million units in 2024.
In the first half of this year, China made 4.929 million new energy vehicles and sold 4.944 million, up by 30.1% and 32% respectively, and the market share of Chinese electric vehicles reached 35.2% globally. By the end of June 2024, China has cumulatively produced and sold over 30 million electric vehicles.
A parking area for new energy vehicles in southwest China’s Yunnan province.
As for southwest China’s Yunnan province, new energy vehicles are taking the lead in provincial green development. Yunnan is rich in clean energies of hydro power, solar energy and wind energy, which give strong pulls to the industrial production of new energy vehicles.
In 2020, the BAIC Kunming mass production line for making new energy vehicles was put into operation, beginning manufacturing electric vehicles in Yunnan province. By 2021, Yunnan ranked seventh or eighth in the sales new energy vehicles among Chines provinces.
Meanwhile, Yunnan has taken measures to promote the production of new energy batteries and silicon photovoltaic products, striving to build a major province in clean-energy industries.
A charging area for electric vehicles in central Yunnan's Kunming city
In 2022, Yunnan province set the goal of being Chinese capital of photovoltaics, formulating policies to bolster the industrial chains and explore the international market. In 2023, the province's photovoltaic industry achieved an output value of 109.4 billion yuan, with the added value increasing by 36.7%.
Yunnan has also optimized its business environment and invited in investment, and a number of enterprises that produce new-energy products have opened branches in the province. Leading photovoltaic enterprises such as LONGi Green Energy, Tongwei Solar, Jinko Solar and others have settled in Yunnan. This has further improved and upgraded the industrial chain of electric vehicles.
In January and February 2024, the consumption of new energy vehicles in Yunnan increased by 15.8%, and the output of charging piles and photovoltaic cells were rising. BYD has opened more than 30 sales outlets in Kunming city, with its sales in Yunnan increasing by 30% from mid-February to early April.
Using electric vehicles froms a trend in central Yunnan's Kunming city.
The rapid development of new energy vehicles has not only boosted the economic growth of Yunnan, but also made due contributions to the national "dual carbon" goals, promoting the green and low-carbon development.
In the future, Yunnan will continue to give full play to its resource advantages and carry forward industrial cooperation across regions, while pushing ahead high-quality development of the electric-vehicle industry and composing a new chapter in green development.
Writing by Wang Shixue; Photos by Yunnan Daily; Proofreading by Zu Hongbing and Wang Huan