Major step toward clean transportation. Photo: Shutterstock China's southern island province of Hainan will ban the sale of new gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles by 2030, becoming the first province in the country to adopt such a measure as part of its climate strategy.
The policy is included in the newly released Hainan National Pilot Zone for Ecological Civilization Development Plan (2026–2030): Beautiful Hainan Construction Plan, which outlines the province's environmental and climate objectives for the remainder of the decade.
According to the plan, Hainan will steadily advance its ban on the sale of new gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles by 2030. The province also aims to nearly double the share of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in its total vehicle fleet, increasing the proportion from 23.75% in 2025 to 45% by 2030.
The latest roadmap builds on Hainan's broader clean transportation strategy, which requires all newly purchased and replacement vehicles used in public services and commercial operations to run on clean energy. Provincial authorities are also expected to continue supporting EV adoption through preferential policies, including incentives related to vehicle purchases and expanded clean energy infrastructure.
Hainan's strategy aligns with China's national climate commitments to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. As one of the country's designated pilot zones for ecological civilization, the island province is expected to serve as a testing ground for green transport policies that could eventually be adopted elsewhere in China.
If implemented as planned, Hainan will become the first province in China to prohibit the sale of new fuel-powered vehicles while significantly increasing the share of electric and other new energy vehicles on its roads by the end of the decade.