Race to the Top? Electric Vehicles as a Road to Carbon Neutrality in the U.S. and China

The year of the Ox came riding in on an electric vehicle with both the U.S. and Chinese governments accelerating their efforts to expand EV markets, but each country is taking a different approach. In January, China’s Ministry of Finance cut subsidies for new electric vehicles by 20%, removing financial support from this pandemic-battered industry. Also in January, President Biden directed federal agencies to begin replacing all 645,000 federally procured vehicles with electric and clean zero-emission vehicles. 

This move towards low-carbon transport could be a game-changer to reach carbon neutrality goals as transportation is the number one source of carbon emissions in the U.S., and the second-largest source in China. 

At this panel Ilaria Mazzocco (Paulson Institute) will lay out the drivers and bumps on the road for China’s aggressive push to shift completely to electric vehicles; An Feng (Innovation Center for Energy and Transportation, iCET) will evaluate the economic and climate benefits of the regional plan for EVs in Guangdong Province and the Greater Bay Area that was part of the 14th Five-Year Plan. Camron Gorguinpour (ENGIE Impact) will highlight EV trends in the United States and dive into expanding Vehicle Grid Integration projects; Shelley Francis (EV Hybrid Noire) will delve into the importance of utilizing e-mobility best practices and discuss best practices for engaging diverse NGOs, communities, and more to work towards inclusive and equitable solutions for small and large E-mobility in the United States.

After presentations and discussion, the speakers will take questions from the audience. Please submit your questions before or anytime during the panel to Twitter (@wilsonCEF) or via email to Ruyi.Li@wilsoncenter.org.