Asia

The World's Largest Car Market Might Ban Gas Vehicles

Chinese officials say they're deciding on a time frame to ban gas and diesel vehicles in favor of electric and intelligent cars.

The World's Largest Car Market Might Ban Gas Vehicles
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The largest car market in the world might someday offer only electric and intelligent vehicles.

Chinese officials say they're deciding on a time frame to ban gas and diesel. State media reports that ban could include the production and sale of fossil-fueled cars.

The U.K. and France already announced plans to nix gas cars by 2040. Norway wants only green energy vehicles on its roads by 2025.

But a plan from China could be even bigger news. For the past eight years, Chinese car makers produced the most vehicles in the world.

To help spur the industry, the Chinese government already gives homegrown electric car makers big subsidies.

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If all the big and medium-sized vehicles in the U.S. were electric, emissions and fuel consumption would both be cut by more than a quarter.

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Last year, China sold three times more electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids than the U.S. 

And with China's vast population, some say the country has no choice but to embrace electric vehicles.

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will work out the timetable for the ban.