Sino-US Electric Vehicle Policy Coordination and Cooperation Under

the Goal of Carbon Neutrality

Yujing Zhang

Zhangzhou Number3 Middle School, Zhangzhou, China

Keywords: Global Green Economy, Zero Emission, Reduce Trade Barriers, The Transformation of the Global Green

Economy, The Realization of Carbon Neutrality Goals.

Abstract: In the context of increasingly severe global climate change and environmental problems, the goal of carbon

neutrality has become the core policy orientation of various countries. With its significant advantage of "zero

emission", electric vehicles (EV, Electric Vehicle) have become an important tool to promote the

transformation of the green economy. As the two largest economies and major carbon emitters in the world,

China and the United States, the coordination and cooperation of their electric vehicle policies have important

leading and demonstration significance for realizing the global carbon neutrality goal. Based on the

background of global climate change, this article deeply discusses the current situation of electric vehicle

policies between China and the United States, analyzes the necessity and feasibility of policy coordination

between China and the United States, and proposes paths and policy suggestions to promote cooperation

between the two countries. Research results show that policy coordination between China and the United

States in the field of electric vehicles has accelerated the widespread promotion of green technologies around

the world, providing examples and references for the global response to climate change.

1 INTRODUCTION

Global climate change has caused major threats to the

human living environment and ecosystems. Rising

temperatures, rising sea levels, and frequent extreme

weather events have intensified the frequency and

severity of natural disasters. According to a report by

the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

(IPCC), a subsidiary of the United Nations Panel on

Climate Change, if effective emission reduction

measures are not taken, the global average

temperature may rise by more than 2°C by 2100. It is

predicted that it will directly lead to serious damage

to the ecological balance, mass extinction of species,

and profound socioeconomic crisis (Qu, 2008). The

concept of carbon neutrality was proposed to deal

with climate problems caused by greenhouse gas

emissions. Carbon neutrality refers to achieving "net

zero emissions" of greenhouse gases by reducing

carbon emissions and increasing carbon sinks within

a certain period. In 2020, China made a commitment

to “peak carbon emissions in 2030 and achieve

carbon neutrality in 2060” (Wu, 2022). The United

States has committed to achieving carbon neutrality

by 2050. This goal promotes industrial

transformation in China and the United States and

provides a clear direction for the development of the

global green economy. Electric vehicles are

considered a key means to reduce carbon emissions

and achieve green travel. The emissions of traditional

internal combustion engine vehicles account for 20%-

30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while

electric vehicles have become the preferred choice for

green travel due to their "zero emission"

characteristics. The popularization of electric

vehicles can also reduce air pollution, reduce energy

dependence, optimize the energy structure, and

promote the use of clean energy. As the world's

largest producers and consumers of electric vehicles,

policy coordination between China and the United

States will directly affect the stability of the global

electric vehicle industry chain and the development

direction of the market.

In summary, the coordination and cooperation

between China and the United States on electric

vehicle policies will help promote the research

development, and application of electric vehicle

technology, promote the construction of a global

green transportation system, and promote the

standardization and integrated development of the

Zhang, Y.

Sino-US Electric Vehicle Policy Coordination and Cooperation Under the Goal of Carbon Neutrality.

DOI: 10.5220/0013985200004916

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication (PRMC 2025), pages 18-24

ISBN: 978-989-758-778-8

global market. Sino-US cooperation will help

accelerate the market penetration of electric vehicles,

reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help achieve the

temperature control goals set out in the Paris

Agreement, and provide feasible cooperation

examples and paths to address climate change.

This article aims to analyze the current situation

of electric vehicle policies in China and the United

States, sort out the policy framework, incentive

measures, and market development status of China

and the United States in the field of electric vehicles,

and clarify the similarities and differences between

the two sides' policies and the entry point for

coordination. On this basis, this article discusses the

necessity and feasibility of policy coordination,

analyzes the key interests of China and the United

States in policy coordination, explores the possibility

and cooperation paths of policy docking between

China and the United States, and proposes policies for

cooperation between China and the United States in

the field of electric vehicles. suggestion.

2 ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT

SITUATION OF ELECTRIC

VEHICLE POLICIES IN CHINA

AND THE UNITED STATES

Table 1 compares the current status of electric vehicle

policies in China and the United States, covering six

key elements: policy objectives, incentives,

infrastructure construction, market supervision,

technical support, and representative companies.

Both countries attach great importance to the

development of electric vehicles, have formulated

clear policy goals and incentives, and at the same time

promote technological innovation. Among them, the

United States' target was achieved five years earlier

than China's, showing the United States' urgency to

accelerate the promotion of electric vehicles. Both

China and the United States have set "50%" as the

target ratio, showing that they attach equal

importance to the development of electric vehicles.

The focus of incentives between China and the United

States is different. China's incentives cover car

purchases and technology research and development,

while the United States focuses on direct economic

subsidies, with clear and highly targeted tax

incentives. China's construction direction is more

inclined to privatization and diversification (such as

power replacement), while the United States is biased

toward public facilities and power grid upgrades. In

terms of supervision, China directly intervenes in the

market through the "double points" policy to force

companies to meet the proportion of new energy

vehicles; the United States is relatively flexible and

indirectly encourages the development of electric

vehicles by improving fuel economy. In terms of

technical support, China focuses on improving the

performance of core components of electric vehicles;

the United States focuses on future trends, such as the

Internet of Vehicles and autonomous driving. Both

Chinese and American companies have world-

renowned brands in the field of electric vehicles.

Chinese companies focus more on battery production

and emerging brands, while the United States focuses

on the transformation of traditional automobile giants

and Tesla.

Table 1. Current status of electric vehicle policies in China and the United States

policy elements China USA

policy objectives

New energy vehicles will account

for 50% of new car sales in 2035

By 2030, electric vehicles will

account for 50% of new car sales

Incentives

Car purchase subsidies, purchase

taxes, R&D subsidies, etc

$7,500 car purchase tax

credit,infrastructure subsidies

infrastructure construction

Vigorously build public and

private point piles and promote the

power exchange model

Build 500,000 charging piles

and upgrade power grid facilities

market supervision

Implement a “double points”

policy for new energy vehicles

Improve fuel economy and

emissions standards

Technical support

Support the research and

development of batteries, battery

replacement and networking

technologies

Support innovation in

intelligent networking and

autonomous driving technologies

Representative enterprise BYD, Future, Xiaomi Auto, etc.

Tesla,Ford, General Motors,

etc.

Sino-US Electric Vehicle Policy Coordination and Cooperation Under the Goal of Carbon Neutrality

2.1 China’s Electric Vehicle Policy

Focusing on the national strategic goal of "carbon

peaking in 2030 and carbon neutrality in 2060",

China's electric vehicle policy focuses on promoting

the popularity and technological innovation of

electric vehicles through policy incentives, market

supervision, and technical support. The Chinese

government has adopted a variety of policy tools to

promote the development of the electric vehicle

market. First, China’s car purchase subsidy policy

played a key role in the early stages. Although

subsidies are gradually declining, tax exemptions and

operating subsidies are still important incentives for

the electric vehicle market. The reduction of purchase

tax has made the price advantage of electric vehicles

more prominent and increased consumers'

willingness to purchase. Secondly, China’s “double

points policy” has become an important means to

promote the transformation of automobile companies.

(Hu, 2024) According to this policy, car companies

must achieve a balance of points in the sales of new

energy vehicles and fuel vehicles, and companies that

do not meet the standards need to purchase the surplus

points of other companies to form a market-oriented

incentive mechanism. Finally, China strongly

supports the construction of electric vehicle

infrastructure, especially the construction of charging

piles and battery swap stations. In terms of

technological innovation, China's power battery

industry has demonstrated global competitive

advantages, with companies such as CATL and BYD

leading the world in market share in the field of power

batteries.

2.2 Electric Vehicle Policy in the

United States

The electric vehicle policy in the United States is

mainly oriented towards market incentives and

technological innovation, with the federal and state

governments jointly promoting the development of

the electric vehicle market. In 2022, the United States

passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), providing

comprehensive policy support for the production and

consumption of electric vehicles. First, on the

consumer side, the United States has implemented a

car purchase tax credit policy, and consumers can

enjoy tax credits of up to US$7,500 for purchasing

qualified electric vehicles. (Xiao, 2018) Secondly, the

US Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act plans to

invest US$7.5 billion to build a network of 500,000

charging piles nationwide. Different from China's

"battery swap model", the United States mainly

improves the convenience of using electric vehicles

through the construction of fast charging networks. In

addition, zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) policies have

been actively promoted in California, New York, and

other states in the United States. These states have set

stricter electric vehicle sales targets for car companies

and mandated car companies to sell electric vehicles

within a certain period. The sales ratio of cars has

increased to a certain level. The United States also

leads the world in electric vehicle technological

innovation. Tesla, Ford, General Motors, and other

companies have technological advantages in

intelligent driving, autonomous driving, and Internet

of Vehicles technologies.

2.3 Comparison of Electric Vehicles

Between China and the United

States

There are some commonalities between China and the

United States in the formulation of electric vehicle

policies, but there are also significant differences in

policy objectives, market supervision methods,

incentives, and market environment. In terms of

policy goals, both China and the United States have

set clear goals for the popularization of electric

vehicles. China's goal is to achieve 50% of new car

sales with new energy vehicles (including electric

vehicles) by 2035 and to achieve full electrification.

The United States has proposed a goal of electric

vehicles accounting for 50% of new car sales by

2030. (Wei, 2022) In terms of market supervision,

China’s “dual-point policy” requires car companies to

sell a certain proportion of electric vehicle points, and

companies that do not meet the standards need to

purchase points. The "Zero Emission Vehicle Policy

(ZEV)" in the United States requires car companies to

achieve a certain proportion of electric vehicle sales

in specific states, otherwise, they will face high fines.

In terms of incentives, China's electric vehicle

purchase subsidies have gradually declined, but

purchase tax exemptions and corporate research and

development subsidies continue. The tax credit policy

in the United States is more direct. Consumers who

purchase compliant electric vehicles can receive tax

credits of up to $7,500 (Xiao, 2018). In addition, the

US subsidy policy focuses more on supporting the

local manufacturing of power batteries and the

localization of the industrial chain of electric vehicles

(Wang, 2022). In terms of market environment,

China's electric vehicle market is policy-led, the

market environment is driven by policies, and the

supportive policies of local governments have also

promoted the rapid development of the local market.

PRMC 2025 - International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication

The market environment in the United States is more

market-oriented, and companies have a more

dominant position in the market.

3 PATHS FOR SINO-US

ELECTRIC VEHICLE POLICY

COORDINATION AND

COOPERATION

3.1 Current Status of Tariff Policy

The Sino-US trade friction has caused the import and

export of electric vehicles and related parts to face

high tariff barriers. In 2018, the United States

imposed high tariffs on electric vehicles and their

parts exported from China, and China also adopted

reciprocal tariff countermeasures on auto parts

imported from the United States. The increase in

these tariffs not only increases the cost of electric

vehicles but also inhibits the mutual circulation of the

Chinese and American electric vehicle markets,

affecting the stability of the global electric vehicle

supply chain. China and the United States each have

advantages in key technical fields of electric vehicles.

China is in a leading position in power batteries,

battery replacement technology, and intelligent

network connectivity. Companies such as CATL and

BYD have significant international competitiveness

in the field of power battery technology (Ou, 2016).

The United States has a leading position in

autonomous driving, the Internet of Vehicles, and

control software. Tesla and Google's Waymo have

achieved world-leading technological breakthroughs

in autonomous driving and intelligent driving

systems. However, technological cooperation

between China and the United States still faces issues

such as "technical barriers" and "data sovereignty",

especially when it comes to the transfer of key

technologies, and the policies of both parties are

inconsistent. The Sino-US trade friction has led to

rising tariffs on electric vehicles and their parts,

which has directly affected the stability of the supply

chain and the market access of companies. To reduce

barriers to the circulation of electric vehicle parts,

China and the United States can negotiate to reduce

tariffs on electric vehicles and their core components,

especially in key areas such as power batteries, chips,

and electronic control systems. By establishing the

"China-U.S. Electric Vehicle Tariff Coordination

Mechanism", the two sides can launch policy

dialogues on multilateral platforms (such as the G20

and APEC), reduce trade barriers, and ensure the

stability of the supply chain.

3.2 Technical Cooperation and

Research and Development

The complementary advantages between China and

the United States in key electric vehicle technologies

provide the possibility for technical cooperation

between the two parties. China has competitive

advantages in power batteries, intelligent

connectivity, and battery swapping technologies,

while the United States has outstanding performance

in the fields of autonomous driving and electric

vehicle software control (Fu, 2023). By establishing

the "China-US Electric Vehicle Technology

Cooperation Platform", the two parties can carry out

joint research and development in areas such as

power batteries, autonomous driving, and the Internet

of Vehicles, and promote the unification of technical

standards. In addition, the two parties can establish an

"electric vehicle big data sharing platform" to realize

the sharing of autonomous driving data and

algorithms, reduce research and development time,

and optimize the path of technological innovation.

Driven by the goal of carbon neutrality, technical

cooperation and R&D cooperation on electric

vehicles between China and the United States have

become an important direction for the coordinated

development of both parties (Wu, 2016). Technical

cooperation pays more attention to the "now" and

mainly solves the current bottlenecks in market

promotion. For example, China and the United States

can reduce barriers to technology adaptation by

unifying charging pile interfaces and battery

standards, thereby accelerating market penetration. In

addition, by integrating the existing technologies and

resources of both parties, companies can significantly

reduce development costs and achieve rapid

application of existing technologies. R&D

cooperation focuses on the “future” and aims to

promote technological breakthroughs and

innovations (Zhang, 2021). The two countries can

jointly solve technical problems in the industry and

seize the forefront of the global electric vehicle

market through cooperation in the research and

development of high-efficiency batteries, new energy

technologies and intelligent vehicle systems.

Technical cooperation focuses on efficiency and

short-term results, while R&D cooperation is based

on the long term and seeks technological

breakthroughs. The combination of the two will make

China and the United States more competitive in the

global electric vehicle field, while also making an

Sino-US Electric Vehicle Policy Coordination and Cooperation Under the Goal of Carbon Neutrality

important contribution to the realization of the carbon

neutrality goal. This dual-path collaboration not only

promotes the accelerated development of green

industries in both countries but also provides a

reference for global sustainable development.

3.3 Market Access and Mutual

Recognition of Standards

There are large differences in market access standards

for electric vehicles between China and the United

States, especially in terms of power battery

certification, battery replacement technology

standards, and vehicle safety testing standards. To

solve this problem, China and the United States can

negotiate and sign the "Mutual Recognition

Agreement on Electric Vehicle Market Access" to

achieve certification docking of electric vehicle

products and reduce market entry costs for

companies. In addition, China and the United States

can also unify the technical standards of charging

interfaces to ensure the compatibility of charging

networks for electric vehicles in the Chinese and

American markets and reduce the adaptation costs of

enterprises.

Coordinated path for market access; broad market

access for new energy vehicle industries in China and

the United States requires path adjustments from

three perspectives. First, in the bilateral agreement on

mutual market recognition, China and the United

States can negotiate and sign the "Mutual

Recognition Agreement on Electric Vehicle Markets"

to promote the simplification of the certification

process for electric vehicles and reduce the testing

process before products enter the market. Second, in

unifying electric vehicle certification and testing

standards, China and the United States should

establish unified certification and testing standards in

terms of charging pile interface standards, power

battery testing standards, and vehicle operating

system compatibility to reduce market barriers. At the

same time, it is also very important to strengthen

policy communication and dialogue mechanisms.

China and the United States should establish a

"China-US Electric Vehicle Market Dialogue Group"

in multilateral cooperation platforms such as the G20

and APEC to regularly coordinate electric vehicle

market access standards to ensure the docking and

integration of standards. consistency.

As shown in table 2, the policy coordination path

of China and the United States on electric vehicles is

specifically reflected in tariff adjustment, technical

cooperation, market access, and multilateral

cooperation. China and the United States can save a

lot of costs for enterprises by reducing tariffs on

electric vehicles and parts, especially those with high

dependence on production and exports. This measure

will directly improve the circulation efficiency of the

market and allow more electric vehicles to enter each

other's markets. By establishing a "zero tariff zone",

the two countries can also encourage more companies

to participate in cross-border trade and promote the

further integration of the electric vehicle-related

industrial chain. Such adjustments are not only

directly beneficial to enterprises but also help expand

the global market share of electric vehicles. At the

same time, China and the United States can jointly

establish a joint R&D center to concentrate on solving

technical problems in the field of electric vehicles.

Under this cooperation model, the two countries can

share key technical data and jointly explore core areas

such as battery performance optimization, charging

efficiency improvement, and vehicle networking

technology. This technical cooperation will further

promote the standardization of technology and make

Chinese and American companies more competitive

in the global market. Through resource integration,

the two sides can take advantage of each other's

strengths, accelerate technology iteration, and

contribute to the global upgrade of electric vehicle

technology. China and the United States can simplify

the certification process for enterprises to enter each

other's markets through market mutual recognition

agreements. Such measures can not only significantly

reduce the operating costs of enterprises, but also

shorten the time to market for products and help

technology land faster. The two countries can also

eliminate technical barriers caused by differences in

standards by coordinating testing standards. This

facilitation of market access will promote the deep

integration of the electric vehicle markets of China

and the United States, while also providing

consumers with more choices. China and the United

States can establish a special electric vehicle policy

dialogue mechanism on international platforms such

as the G20 and APEC. In international cooperation,

the cooperation between China and the United States

will not only help strengthen the leadership of the two

countries in the field of new energy, but also promote

the sustainable development of the electric vehicle

industry by formulating a global policy framework.

Through such multilateral cooperation, China and the

United States can further strengthen their voice and

influence in the international arena.

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Table 2. Overall path of policy coordination

Path latitude and longitude Key measures Expected effects

Tariff adjustment

Reduce tariffs on electric vehicles

and parts, establish a "zero tariff

zone"

Reduce corporate costs and

expand market circulation

Technical cooperation

Establish a joint R&D center,

share data, and cooperate on technical

standards

Accelerate technological

progress and promote

technical standardization

Market access

Market mutual recognition

agreement, simplify market

certification processes, and

coordinate testing standards

Accelerate technological

progress and promote

technical standardization

Multilateral cooperation

Establish a China-US electric

vehicle policy dialogue mechanism in

the G20 and APEC platforms

Promote policy

coordination and

communication

4 CONCLUSION

The coordination and cooperation of China-US

electric vehicle policies is an important path to

promote the global green economic transformation

and the realization of carbon neutrality goals. China

and the United States should promote the alignment

of rules and standards in the electric vehicle market,

reduce market barriers, and reduce the operating costs

of enterprises through policy coordination, technical

cooperation, and standard docking. China and the

United States can also set up a "China-US Electric

Vehicle Policy Coordination Group" on multilateral

platforms such as the G20 and APEC to ensure policy

communication and dialogue between the two sides

on market access, technical cooperation, and tariff

policy adjustments. Specifically, China and the

United States should sign the "Electric Vehicle

Market Access Mutual Recognition Agreement" to

achieve the docking of market rules, ensure the

unification of power battery and charging standards,

and reduce market fragmentation. In addition, the two

sides should jointly promote the standardization and

normalization of the global electric vehicle industry

and promote the healthy development of the

international electric vehicle market. Through policy

coordination and cooperation between China and the

United States, the standardization and unification of

rules in the global electric vehicle market will make

substantial progress, and the transformation of the

global green economy and the realization of carbon

neutrality goals will be more promising.

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