After news that France and Britain are looking to ban petrol and diesel vehicles, China is making similar noises. According to the Guardian, the Chinese government is looking to ban both the production and sale of fossil fuel cars in order to promote electric vehicles. The move should alleviate some of the pollution concerns that plague Chinese cities.

Unlike France and Britain, which put a date of 2040 to their plans, the Chinese have not yet marked their calendar. Instead, Xin Guobin, vice-minister of industry and information technology, noted that relevant research has been started and that they are working on a timetable.

According to the official Xinhua news agency, the policy will be implemented “in the near future”.

The BBC notes that China constructed 28 million cars last year, close to a third of the international total, while it is also the world’s largest automobile market. The ban on fossil fuel cars will increase pressure for manufacturers to push electric solutions, with Volvo (currently in Chinese hands), for example, having an all-electric model ready for distribution in China as soon as 2019.

What the effect of the ban will have on the oil industry remains to be seen, although the benefits to the green energy industry will be undeniable.

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