Beijing Targets EV Performance Hype With Proposed Safety Rules
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China is pushing to slow the arms race in high-speed acceleration among carmakers, with a draft national standard that would require all passenger cars to launch in a slower, default driving mode.
The country’s Ministry of Public Security on Nov. 10 released a proposed revision to the Technical Specifications for Safety of Power-Driven Vehicles for public comment. If implemented, the rule would mandate that passenger vehicles start with a default acceleration setting that takes at least five seconds to reach 100 kilometers per hour.
The proposed change reflects growing official concern about the automotive sector’s aggressive promotion of acceleration performance — a powerful draw in the electric vehicle (EV) market that may outpace the capabilities of ordinary drivers.
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- China proposed a draft rule requiring all passenger cars to default to a slower acceleration mode, taking at least five seconds to reach 100 km/h.
- The revision targets safety concerns from rapid EV acceleration and distracted driving, mandating extra safeguards for high-performance settings and in-car displays.
- New standards also require attention-verification in driver-assist systems and safeguards against unintended acceleration in electric and hybrid vehicles.
- Tesla Inc.
- Tesla Inc. "pioneered the use of fast acceleration to shed the image of EVs as slow, utilitarian vehicles." Its success convinced early investors that rapid acceleration could signify innovation and value in the EV sector.
- Xiaomi Corp.
- Xiaomi Corp., a newcomer to auto manufacturing, has heavily focused its branding on high-performance vehicles. Its popular model, the Xiaomi SU7, offers variants that can reach 100 km/h in under three seconds. In June, the company also launched the YU7 SUV, with most versions boasting acceleration times of less than five seconds.
- Geely
- Geely is a Chinese car manufacturer that offers popular models like the Zeekr 001. Some variants of the Zeekr 001 are capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in under three seconds, and these high-performance models are available for less than 300,000 yuan.
- 1987：
- The Technical Specifications for Safety of Power-Driven Vehicles was originally adopted as the backbone of China's automotive safety regime.
- 2018：
- The latest version of the Technical Specifications for Safety of Power-Driven Vehicles went into effect.
- 2023：
- Research began on the new revision of the Technical Specifications for Safety of Power-Driven Vehicles.
- June 2025：
- Xiaomi launched the YU7 SUV, nearly all versions offering acceleration of less than five seconds.
- October 2025：
- The draft of the revised Technical Specifications for Safety of Power-Driven Vehicles was finalized.
- Nov. 10, 2025：
- China’s Ministry of Public Security released the proposed revision to the Technical Specifications for Safety of Power-Driven Vehicles for public comment.
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