These days, we're seeing plug-in hybrids offer more and more electric-only driving range, thanks to improvements in efficiency and larger battery packs. While PHEVs aren't top-sellers in some markets - nor are there even a lot of them on sale in the U.S., really - they are popular entities in places like Europe, where plug-in hybrids are largely viewed as a suitable stop-gap on the way to a full-blown EV takeover. Now, however, Ford and other automakers that sell vehicles in China will have to abide by newly increased minimum standards as it pertains to EV-only driving range.
As first discovered by InsideEVs, the Chinese government just released new performance standards for PHEV models, which were previously required to offer up 43 kilometers (27 miles) of all-electric driving range. Now, those same partially-electrified vehicles will need to travel 100 kilometers, or 62 miles on battery power alone, or risk giving up some or all of the government's applicable tax benefits.
In addition to this change, PHEV models in China are also now facing stricter fuel economy rules when the gas engine is operating in charge-sustaining hybrid mode. The idea behind these changes is to prompt automakers to devote more resources to the research and development of electrified vehicles. As far as timing goes, automakers are required to submit regulatory paperwork to China by mid-December, and the new rules are set to take effect in January 2026.
This isn't necessarily ideal for some automakers, but for Ford, it shouldn't pose too much of a problem. The relatively new Ford Equator/Equator Sport PHEV sold in China gets 68 miles of range on electric power alone, which easily clears this standard. Then there's the brand new Ford Bronco New Energy, which is available in both pure EV and EREV guise, the latter of which could technically be considered a PHEV, since it uses a gas engine to feed a larger battery pack - resulting in 137 miles of pure EV range.
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