By April Lanux

New policies aim to boost tech advances of automotive sector.

China is expected to push the high-quality development of its leading new energy vehicle sector with a slew of policies ranging from electrifying bus fleets to drafting battery swapping standards, according to a senior official.

Zhang Yunming, vice-minister of industry and information technology, said on Tuesday that the ministry will take targeted measures to boost the growth of the sector, which has made remarkable progress over the past decade.

He said the authorities will implement national research and development plans to accelerate breakthroughs in key technologies such as new battery systems.

Also, policies like vehicle trade-ins and tax exemptions for NEVs will be promoted to boost consumption. Such policies have worked to spur vehicle sales over past years, said the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

Zhang said the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will release guidelines to promote battery swap models.

Chinese NEV startup Nio has been an advocate of battery swap technology. It has built a network of more than 3,000 battery swap stations in the country, which enable vehicles to get a fully charged battery pack within minutes.

This convenience has wooed a number of carmakers including Geely, Changan and Chery.

Nio CEO William Li confirmed that Chery and Nio are jointly developing a new battery swap model, which is currently undergoing winter testing and is expected to hit the market this year.

Another major player in the battery swap ecosystem is CATL, the world's leading battery manufacturer.

In late 2024, CATL announced partnerships with several automakers, including Changan, GAC, BAIC, Wuling and FAW, to launch 10 battery swap models by the end of 2025.

CATL has developed two standardized swappable battery packs, available in both lithium iron phosphate and ternary lithium versions, with ranges between 400 and 600 kilometers.

The battery maker plans to build 1,000 new swapping stations this year, with a midterm goal of establishing 10,000 stations in collaboration with partners.

Another move is to expand pilot programs for full electrification in public transport, said Zhang.

Luca de Meo, CEO of French automaker Renault, praised China's efforts in electrifying fleets.

In an interview earlier this month, he said that European fleets lag behind in electric vehicle adoption due to the absence of regulatory mandates.

"Nobody demands fleets to have a certain EV mix in Europe. Nobody. The mix of EV in fleet is actually lower than retail sales in Europe, but you know the fleet is 50 percent of the market," said de Meo.

"If you don't force companies to achieve at least a certain percentage of EV (in fleets), you will never make the big number," he said.

Also, Zhang said the "dual-credit" policy will be optimized, and efforts will be made to standardize carbon footprint calculations for vehicles and batteries, aiming for international recognition.

The dual-credit policy, put in place in 2018, is a market-based regulatory mechanism to promote NEV development and improve fuel efficiency in the automotive industry.

It includes Corporate Average Fuel Consumption Credits, which are designed to regulate the average fuel consumption of vehicles produced by automakers.

Companies are required to meet specific fuel efficiency targets for their fleets. If a company's actual fuel consumption exceeds the target, it generates negative credits.

But these credits can be offset by NEV credits, which are awarded to automakers based on the number and type of NEVs they produce and sell.

Under the policy, companies that excel in NEV production or fuel efficiency can earn and sell excess credits, generating additional revenue. Companies that fail to meet the requirements must purchase credits, which can be costly.

Zhang said the MIIT will encourage industry consolidation and regulate market competition to create a healthier industrial environment.

China has been the home to the world's largest NEV segment since it surpassed the United States in 2015.

China's NEV sales reached 1.29 million units in 2024, representing 40.9 percent of the total vehicle sales in the country and more than 60 percent of the global NEV market, respectively.

Also, NEVs made in China are now exported to more than 70 countries and regions across the world. Some carmakers, including Renault, are developing EVs in China for overseas markets.

Zhang highlighted significant advancements in product performance, with average driving ranges now approaching 500 kilometers per charge.

Innovations in intelligent driving assistance and human-machine interaction have made driving more comfortable and enjoyable.

Such features, which were reserved for vehicles priced more than 300,000 yuan ($41,200), are expected to be available in vehicles priced from 100,000 to 200,000 yuan this year, according to the China EV 100, a Beijing-based industry think tank.

Technologies — such as active suspension — once reserved for high-end vehicles are also becoming more widely available.

Zhang said the country has also established a comprehensive industrial chain covering basic materials, components, vehicle manufacturing and equipment production.

China supplies 70 percent of the world's battery materials and 60 percent of its power batteries.

In terms of infrastructure, China has built the world's largest charging network, with 12.82 million charging piles and 4,443 battery swap stations by the end of 2024.

Fast-charging technology that can recharge up to 80 percent in 15 minutes has also been commercialized, he said.

By April Lanux

The National Science Policy Council has approved Hungary’s innovation strategy for 2024, allocating 215 billion forints to support research and innovation through grant funding. The announcement was made by Minister of Culture and Innovation Balázs Hankó during a press conference on Tuesday.

The funding breakdown includes 131 billion forints for innovation programmes and 84 billion for research projects. Highlighting the government’s commitment, Minister Hankó revealed that the Parliament is also set to vote on a new law concerning the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network, aimed at enhancing its operational flexibility and responsiveness to research needs. Under the proposed reforms, HUN-REN will operate outside the state budget framework, and the Hungarian government will acquire properties and assets used by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences’ researchers. These resources will be dedicated to public research activities. To further support the research community, the government plans to implement a performance-based funding system, allocating an additional 18 billion forints for wage increases in 2024. This will ultimately double the total funding for researchers to 97 billion forints over three years.

The National Research Excellence Programme (NKKP) will also see a significant boost, with funding rising from 19 billion forints in 2023 to 40 billion forints in 2024. This increase will allow researchers to access grants of up to 200 million forints per project, a dramatic rise from the 48 million previously available under the older OTKA programme. President of the Research Council of Hungary Péter Domokos emphasized that the expanded resources will enable a broader range of researchers to receive support. ‘Many exceptional proposals had to be declined in the past due to funding constraints,’ he noted. In 2023 the Excellence Programme funded 26 projects, preparing researchers for participation in the European Research Council’s prestigious initiatives. Other grants supported 96 Advanced Research proposals, 67 projects for young researchers, and nine collaborative projects with Austrian and Slovenian institutions. Of the supported projects, 152 focused on natural sciences and 46 on social sciences and humanities.

Addressing recent EU criticisms, Hankó reacted strongly to the European Commission’s decision on governance and conflict-of-interest concerns within Hungarian public interest foundations. He accused Brussels of discriminatory behaviour towards Hungarian students and universities, adding, ‘Brussels is stalling!’

Despite these tensions, Hungary continues its global outreach through initiatives like the Pannonia Scholarship Programme, enabling 3,000 students to study at leading universities worldwide, and the HU-rizon programme, fostering partnerships with institutions such as Stanford and Cambridge.

The government’s ambitious plans underscore its determination to elevate Hungary’s research and innovation capabilities while navigating complex relations with international and European bodies. The reforms and increased funding aim to position Hungarian science and education on the global stage.