The Consensus of WNEVC 2021

On September 16, major stakeholders from the global automotive industry gathered in Hainan, the southernmost island province of China, to share insights and discuss the comprehensive electrification and low-carbon green development of the automotive industry under the vision of carbon neutrality. The participants reached the following consensus:

I. Accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of the automotive industry to achieve carbon neutrality.

The main driving forces for popularizing new energy vehicles and accelerating the low-carbon transformation of the global automotive industry have shifted towards dealing with climate change, promoting green and low-carbon development, and achieving carbon neutrality. Achieving carbon neutrality requires a broad and profound systemic economic and social change. All parties agree to: accelerate the development and promotion of low-carbon technologies, strengthen the reduction of emissions in the entire life cycle of vehicles and the entire industry chain, jointly explore and promote automotive carbon management mechanisms and innovative policy tools, and promote international coordination of relevant regulations and standards in fields such as market access as well as mutual recognition of low-carbon products.

II. Adopt a user-centered strategy to comprehensively enhance the competitiveness of new energy vehicles.

New energy vehicles have entered a critical stage when user demands define market orientations. All parties will actively respond to the diversified market needs, increase scientific and technological innovation, and provide users with safer, more comfortable, more environmentally adaptable, and more cost-effective new energy vehicles. All parties will coordinate the construction and operation of energy supply infrastructure to provide users with a more economical and convenient charging and hydro fueling service, which will significantly enhance the market advantages of new energy vehicles.

III. Attach great importance to and vigorously promote the low-carbon development of commercial vehicles.

Accelerating the low-carbon development of commercial vehicles, especially medium and heavy commercial vehicles, is an important guarantee for achieving carbon neutrality in the automotive industry as scheduled. All parties will further increase investment in the research and development of low-carbon and zero-carbon technologies for commercial vehicles, actively explore diversified low-carbon technology solutions for electric vehicles suitable for different application scenarios, especially vehicles with hydrogen fuel cells, and accelerate the transformation of traditional commercial vehicles to electric commercial vehicles.

IV. Promote cross-industry collaboration and cooperation with a more open mind.

The transformation of the automotive industry characterized by electric power, intelligent network connection, and shared transportation is inseparable from the mutual empowerment and integrated development of multiple industries including automobiles, energy, transportation, and information and communication. All parties agree to speed up the promotion and application of grid energy complementary technology, increase the application ratio of green electricity and green hydrogen, give full play to the energy storage characteristics of new energy vehicles, effectively support the construction of smart grids, and promote renewable energy development. Moreover, all parties also agree to accelerate the innovative application of artificial intelligence, big data, and information and communication technologies, build a “people-vehicle-road-network” collaborative infrastructure, and use intelligent network technology to significantly enhance the safety, applicability, and comfort of new energy vehicles, thereby providing users with a safe, green, efficient and convenient smart transportation experience.

V. Work together to promote the safety and stability of the global automotive industry chain.

Smart new energy vehicles will give rise to a new industrial ecology of the automotive sector and reconstruct the global industrial chain. Under the vision of carbon neutrality and in the post-epidemic era, there is an absolute need for all parties to enhance international exchanges and cooperation, strengthen the coordination of upstream and downstream industrial chains, reinforce the recycling of power batteries, and jointly address challenges such as the R&D, production and supply of power batteries and automotive-grade chips, and resource shortages.

September 2021

Hainan, China