Strategic Analysis of the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in China, 2018-2025

With the Increase in the Number of Electric Vehicles, Public Charging Points in Operation are Likely to Reach 4 Million Units by 2025

About 1.05 million units of electric vehicles (EVs) were sold in China in 2018. Battery electric vehicle (BEV) segment dominated the Chinese EV market with a 74.8% share, or sales of 788,000 units, in the year. The country is implementing the China V emission standard. Shanghai and Guangzhou are likely to pioneer the upgrade to the China VIB standard in the third quarter of 2019. The national implementation of the China VIA standard will be carried out in 2020 and the China VIB in 2023.

In 2018, there were a total of 808,300 charging points (piles) in operation. Overall, the total number of operating public charging points reached 331,300 units. The Chinese government encourages automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to provide the installation of private charging points. These charging points are privately owned by individual EV users and are installed in their own residential parking spaces.

The Chinese central government has revised the GB/T 20234 in 2015. Domestic and international stakeholders are encouraged to align with Guobiao (GB) standard plugs and connectors, including alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) charging couplers. The government has framed various regulations and to accelerate the construction of charging points and facilitating interoperability between them. It also provides charging infrastructure incentives to regional governments, when they achieve large-scale implementation of EVs.

The public charging infrastructure is well established in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong, with them having 144,200 charging points combined, accounting for 43.5% of the market share in 2018. Qingdao Tgood Electric Co., Ltd., State Grid Corporation of China, and Wanbang Charge Facility Co., Ltd.-Star Charge are the key charging point operators who together cover 77.5% of the total public charging points in the country. With charging infrastructure being an emerging market in China, it is competitive and sees the presence of many stakeholders from different backgrounds, such as China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) from the oil & gas industry, and DiDi Chuxing Technology Co., Ltd. from the shared mobility services space.

The Chinese central government plans to develop more than 800 fast charging stations in the country by 2020, mainly in the eastern region. The focus will be on the intercity areas, especially the expressway service areas, key economic zones and event venues, such as the Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Yanqing Winter Olympic Electric Vehicle Demonstration Zone (Beijing). State Grid Corporation of China is mainly concentrated on the expressways. Other notable stakeholders in developing the fast charging infrastructure in China include Tesla Inc., BP PLC, Guangzhou Xiaopeng Motors Technology Co., Ltd. and Wanbang Charge Facility Co., Ltd.-Star Charge. The goal of the maximum super-fast charge system is 1000V in the near future.

Research Scope

The aim of this study is to research and analyze the EV charging infrastructure market in China. The market has 3 distinct segments, namely public operations (for example, at expressways, commercial areas, and neighborhood areas); dedicated operations owned by fleet companies (for example, public taxis); and private charging infrastructure that is installed and owned by EV buyers at their homes and is available for their personal use. This study presents the current scenario in the charging market in China and provides a forecast for charging points up to 2025.

Research Objectives

• To provide a strategic perspective of the charging market for passenger vehicles in China, including market drivers, market restraints, and SWOT analysis.
• To give an overview of government policies that affect electrification and charging solutions.
• To analyze the charging market value chain, including key market participants, key projects, and investments.
• To estimate the size and development potential of the charging points in China towards 2025.
• To present an actionable set of recommendations for stakeholders to grow in the charging market in China.

Key Issues Addressed

• What are the factors that affect the development of the EV charging infrastructure in China?
• How do government regulations affect the EV charging infrastructure in China?
• What are the key drivers and restraints for EV charging infrastructure in China?
• Who are the key market participants in the Chinese EV charging market?
• What are the main EV charging solutions in China?