China’s 10-million-population Hainan province to become first to ban ICE vehicle sales by 2030

China’s Hainan Province has officially announced that it will become the first province in China to implement a total ban on the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2030. This decision, outlined in the newly released “15th Five-Year Plan for the Hainan National Ecological Civilisation Pilot Zone,” positions the island as a pioneering model for the nation’s transportation transition.

With a land area of 35,400 square kilometres and a 612.8 km-long G98 round-the-island expressway, the province’s scale is highly compatible with the driving ranges of modern electric vehicles (EVs) and the development of efficient infrastructure networks.

The province has already made significant strides in its “Clean Energy Island” initiative. As of mid-2026, renewable energy has become the primary source of power for the island. Furthermore, Hainan currently ranks first in China for EV market penetration and second in total EV ownership among all provincial-level administrative regions.

Targets for 2030

The provincial government has established quantitative goals to ensure a smooth transition:

• EV ownership: The share of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in the total vehicle fleet is set to reach 23.75% by 2025, climbing to over 45% by 2030.

• Public and private sectors: By 2030, all public and social operation vehicles – including government, sanitation, and passenger transport vehicles – as well as all new and replacement private vehicles, must be powered by clean energy, with the exception of specialised utility vehicles.

• Infrastructure: To support this growth, the province is expanding its charging network, aiming to maintain a vehicle-to-charger ratio of less than 2.5:1.

Challenges

The transition is not without hurdles. A 2022 report from the state media People Daily highlighted concerns regarding the integration of charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure with urban planning, as well as energy supply pressures. As an island at the end of the Southern Power Grid, Hainan has historically faced challenges with energy dependency and high electricity costs.

To address these, the government is implementing a “foundation-building” strategy. This includes increasing energy self-sufficiency from 24% in 2025 to 54% by 2030 through the development of nuclear and renewable energy sources. Additionally, the province plans to introduce differentiated traffic management policies – such as preferential registration, driving, and parking privileges – to incentivise the adoption of NEVs and accelerate the phase-out of traditional fuel vehicles.

Hainan is one of China’s relatively smaller provinces, and there isn’t much of an automotive industry there besides Hainan Mazda.