China puts EVs on a diet as battery boom adds bulk

China wants slimmer EVs after batteries and features made them too heavy for parking spaces

Chinese EVs averaged 1,704 kg in 2024, up 33% since 2012; China mandated EV efficiency standards on January 1, 2026, capping 2-tonne vehicles at 15.1 kWh per 100 km. The rule forces a shift from battery-capacity competition to efficiency and light-weighting, reshaping global engineering priorities and competitive advantage.