Hainan Reaffirms Plan to Phase Out New Gasoline-Car Sales by 2030, Targets 70% NEV Share in New Vehicles by 2027

October 26, 2026 — China’s island province of Hainan has reaffirmed its plan to steadily advance a 2030 ban on sales of gasoline-powered vehicles, as part of broader efforts to develop an environmentally friendly free trade port.

According to an opinion document recently issued by the Hainan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Hainan provincial government, the province aims to ensure that new energy vehicles account for at least 70% of newly added vehicles by 2027. The document also calls for the steady implementation of the 2030 target to stop selling conventional fuel-powered cars.

Hainan was the first province-level region in China to set a clear timeline for phasing out gasoline-car sales across the island. The province first proposed gradually shifting the island toward new energy vehicles in 2018. Its 2019 Clean Energy Vehicle Development Plan subsequently established 2030 as the target year for ending sales of gasoline-powered vehicles across the province.

A separate plan for Hainan’s ecological development during the 2026–2030 period outlines further targets. By 2030, clean-energy vehicles are expected to account for all newly added and replacement vehicles in public services and social operations, except for special-purpose vehicles. New energy vehicles are also expected to account for all newly added and replacement vehicles in the private-use category.

The plan projects that new energy vehicles will make up 45% of Hainan’s total vehicle fleet by 2030, up from 23.75% in 2025. It also calls for maintaining a vehicle-to-charging-pile ratio below 2.5 to 1, highlighting the importance of expanding charging infrastructure alongside the transition.

The shift away from gasoline-car sales will require coordinated investment in charging networks, electricity supply and the automotive sector. The availability of charging facilities in rural communities, public parking areas and highway service stations will be particularly important for consumers. Logistics operators, long-distance drivers and people with specialized vehicle requirements will also need practical transition arrangements.

Hainan’s island geography, expanding clean-energy capacity and established new energy vehicle market provide a foundation for the transition. Nevertheless, challenges remain, including vehicle purchase costs, resale values, maintenance services, charging convenience and driving-range requirements under different conditions.

Importantly, a target to end sales of new gasoline-powered vehicles does not automatically mean that every gasoline car already registered in Hainan must be taken off the road in 2030. The precise scope of implementation, exemptions for special-purpose vehicles and other regulatory details should be determined by the official rules issued by the relevant authorities.

Hainan’s renewed commitment places green transportation at the center of its efforts to build an environmentally friendly free trade port. Progress over the next several years will depend on how effectively the province coordinates new energy vehicle adoption, charging infrastructure and clean electricity supply.