New Energy Vehicles Going to Countryside Activity has upgraded, from “price war” to “custom”

Recently, five ministries recently launched this campaign featuring Tesla’s Model 3/Y and comprehensive lineups from BYD/Geely (minicars to premium SUVs).

Six years of rural promotions have placed 10M+ EVs in counties. Yet charging gaps, service deserts, and product mismatches hinder deeper market growth.

From “boosting sales” to “reconstructing the ecosystem”

The 2025 campaign features 124 models (+25 YoY), covering ¥50k micro-cars to ¥300k premium SUVs. New categories include off-roaders, commercial vehicles, and pickups for farm/logistics use.

Participants span traditional OEMs (BYD, Changan), EV startups (NIO, XPeng), and global brands (Tesla, VW)—all joining at scale for the first time.

Hybrid promotion strategies deploy: County hubs anchor offline events; digital showrooms enable VR tours/livestreams with O2O sales-service integration.

Rural EV penetration lags severely: 27.2% in tier-5 cities vs. major metros; just 17% in villages (2023).

Rural auto ownership may hit 160 vehicles/1,000 people by 2030 (70M total vehicles), unlocking a ¥500 billion market.

Charging deficits remain critical. The 2025 program expands subsidies beyond purchases to cover trade-ins, charging infrastructure, and integrated "purchase-energy-service" packages.

According to the data, China invested ¥7.5 billion in 2024 alone to achieve county-wide charging coverage by 2027. Focus has shifted from sales boosts to sustainable mobility ecosystems (67 pilot counties in 2024 → 75 in 2025).

Synergistic policies emerge: "Vehicle-grid integration" promotes solar-powered charging stations, solving grid fragility while generating green energy/storage revenue.

From “policy dividends” to “real demand”

Rural pragmatism clashes with urban EV trends: Vehicles must haul farm gear, cover inter-village commutes, and limit repair costs under ¥1,000—diverging sharply from "smart/premium" OEM strategies.

Policy tailwinds fuel competition. Tesla’s historic subsidy inclusion signals premium brands’ rural push. Its advantages: strong brand equity, 500+ stores, and 11,500+ superchargers enable nationwide penetration.

However, challenges remain: Tesla’s ¥200k+ entry price clashes with rural budgets (¥50k-100k). Minor Model 3/Y refreshes ignore rough-road adaptations, forcing reliance on 5-year interest-free financing.

In addition, BYD and Geely leverage market insights with full-range assaults: BYD deploys 11 models from budget Seagull to family-friendly Tang DM-i. Wuling and JAC focus on utility—Hongguang MINI EV accommodates farm trailers; Yiwei 3 boosts dustproof battery sealing.

At the same time, Premium models (e.g., Li Auto L6, NIO ET5) target rural upgrades but must overcome "high-price = low-utility" perceptions through practical designs and communication.

It should be mentioned that smart features face adoption hurdles: Dialect recognition failures idle voice controls, while complex touchscreens frustrate users. Rural buyers prioritize safety (78% demand backup cameras/TPS) over autonomy/voice aids (<20% interest).

Rural after-sales service gaps persist. Repair centers cluster in county towns, leaving remote areas underserved. A basic maintenance trip can take 6 hours—triple urban averages—eroding convenience.

The 2025 rural EV initiative marks both policy dividends and industry transformation. Success demands automaker-government-third-party collaboration across product development, infrastructure, and service ecosystems.

In the short-term: Charging networks need private capital. After-sales systems can adopt "county partnership" models to cut costs. Long-term: Rural EV growth requires urban-rural resource exchange—e.g., linking farm logistics with EV usage or optimizing transport via vehicle data.