IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i13p5684-d1683412.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Impact Path of New Energy Vehicle Promotion on Green Development—Empirical Research from the Provincial Level in China

Author

Listed:
  • Jiang Wu

    (School of Management Science and Engineering, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China)

  • Hongquan Yi

    (School of Statistics, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China)

  • Xi Zheng

    (School of Management Science and Engineering, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China)

  • Ke Liu

    (School of Public Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China)

Abstract

The new energy vehicle (NEV) industry has become one of the most important industries in China’s economic development. Based on the panel data of 27 provincial administrative regions in China from 2011 to 2022, combined with the random effect panel of the Tobit model and the Bootstrap method to test the multiple intermediary paths, this paper studies the impact of new energy vehicle promotion (NEVP) in China on regional green development, taking into account the intermediary effect and regional heterogeneity of NEVP on the green development level (GDL). The results show that NEVP significantly promotes the GDL. The mediating effect of NEVP to improve local-level green development through the digital economy level is significant in the eastern region, while in the central and western regions, it is not significant. NEVP can significantly promote the upgrading of regional industrial structure and the construction of transportation infrastructure in the eastern, central, and western regions so as to improve the local GDL.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiang Wu & Hongquan Yi & Xi Zheng & Ke Liu, 2025. "The Impact Path of New Energy Vehicle Promotion on Green Development—Empirical Research from the Provincial Level in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-27, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:13:p:5684-:d:1683412
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/13/5684/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/13/5684/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wang, Kunlun & Zheng, Leven J. & Zhang, Justin Zuopeng & Yao, Hongjiang, 2022. "The impact of promoting new energy vehicles on carbon intensity: Causal evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    2. He, Haonan & Li, Shiqiang & Wang, Shanyong & Zhang, Chaojia & Ma, Fei, 2023. "Value of dual-credit policy: Evidence from green technology innovation efficiency," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 182-198.
    3. Lander, Laura & Kallitsis, Evangelos & Hales, Alastair & Edge, Jacqueline Sophie & Korre, Anna & Offer, Gregory, 2021. "Cost and carbon footprint reduction of electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries through efficient thermal management," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 289(C).
    4. Ma, Shao-Chao & Fan, Ying & Feng, Lianyong, 2017. "An evaluation of government incentives for new energy vehicles in China focusing on vehicle purchasing restrictions," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 609-618.
    5. Lane, Blake & Shaffer, Brendan & Samuelsen, Scott, 2020. "A comparison of alternative vehicle fueling infrastructure scenarios," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    6. Li, Xiaomin & Chen, Pu & Wang, Xingwu, 2017. "Impacts of renewables and socioeconomic factors on electric vehicle demands – Panel data studies across 14 countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 473-478.
    7. Yu, Hui & Li, Ying & Wang, Wei, 2023. "Optimal innovation strategies of automakers with market competition under the dual-credit policy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    8. Liao, Dongsheng & Tan, Binbin, 2023. "An evolutionary game analysis of new energy vehicles promotion considering carbon tax in post-subsidy era," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    9. Zhao, Dan & Ji, Shou-feng & Wang, He-ping & Jiang, Li-wen, 2021. "How do government subsidies promote new energy vehicle diffusion in the complex network context? A three-stage evolutionary game model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    10. Xiong, Yongqing & Cheng, Qian, 2023. "Effects of new energy vehicle adoption on provincial energy efficiency in China: From the perspective of regional imbalances," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    11. Xu, Lei & Su, Jun, 2016. "From government to market and from producer to consumer: Transition of policy mix towards clean mobility in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 328-340.
    12. Wang, Yufei & Liao, Zhongju, 2023. "Functional industrial policy mechanism under natural resource conflict: A case study on the Chinese new energy vehicle industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    13. Huang, Xingjun & Lin, Yun & Lim, Ming K. & Zhou, Fuli & Liu, Feng, 2022. "Electric vehicle charging station diffusion: An agent-based evolutionary game model in complex networks," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    14. Yang, Zaoli & Li, Qin & Yan, Yamin & Shang, Wen-Long & Ochieng, Washington, 2022. "Examining influence factors of Chinese electric vehicle market demand based on online reviews under moderating effect of subsidy policy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 326(C).
    15. Zhao, Pengjun & Zeng, Liangen & Li, Peilin & Lu, Haiyan & Hu, Haoyu & Li, Chengming & Zheng, Mengyuan & Li, Haitao & Yu, Zhao & Yuan, Dandan & Xie, Jinxin & Huang, Qi & Qi, Yuting, 2022. "China's transportation sector carbon dioxide emissions efficiency and its influencing factors based on the EBM DEA model with undesirable outputs and spatial Durbin model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(PC).
    16. Ruoxi Pan & Yiping Liang & Yifei Li & Kai Zhou & Jiarui Miao, 2023. "Environmental and Health Benefits of Promoting New Energy Vehicles: A Case Study Based on Chongqing City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-16, June.
    17. Cai, Jinyang & Zhu, Mengze & Wu, Jian & Chen, Xueli & Xu, Junjie & Shen, Zhi-Yang, 2025. "Evaluating the impact of new energy vehicle subsidies on urban carbon emissions: Evidence from 261 Chinese cities," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    18. Tan, Ruipeng & Tang, Di & Lin, Boqiang, 2018. "Policy impact of new energy vehicles promotion on air quality in Chinese cities," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 33-40.
    19. Yujin Beak & Kayoung Kim & Kyuho Maeng & Youngsang Cho, 2020. "Is the environment‐friendly factor attractive to customers when purchasing electric vehicles? Evidence from South Korea," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 996-1006, March.
    20. Skippon, Stephen M. & Kinnear, Neale & Lloyd, Louise & Stannard, Jenny, 2016. "How experience of use influences mass-market drivers’ willingness to consider a battery electric vehicle: A randomised controlled trial," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 26-42.
    21. Trost, Tobias & Sterner, Michael & Bruckner, Thomas, 2017. "Impact of electric vehicles and synthetic gaseous fuels on final energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in Germany based on long-term vehicle fleet modelling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 1215-1225.
    22. Liu, Dunnan & Xiao, Bowen, 2018. "Exploring the development of electric vehicles under policy incentives: A scenario-based system dynamics model," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 8-23.
    23. Dixon, James & Bukhsh, Waqquas & Edmunds, Calum & Bell, Keith, 2020. "Scheduling electric vehicle charging to minimise carbon emissions and wind curtailment," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 1072-1091.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ye, Rui-Ke & Gao, Zhuang-Fei & Fang, Kai & Liu, Kang-Li & Chen, Jia-Wei, 2021. "Moving from subsidy stimulation to endogenous development: A system dynamics analysis of China's NEVs in the post-subsidy era," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    2. Xiong, Siqin & Yuan, Yi & Yao, Jia & Bai, Bo & Ma, Xiaoming, 2023. "Exploring consumer preferences for electric vehicles based on the random coefficient logit model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PA).
    3. Wang, Kunlun & Zheng, Leven J. & Lin, Boqiang, 2024. "Demand-side incentives, competition, and firms’ innovative activities: Evidence from automobile industry in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    4. Chu, Yi & Yu, Hui & Li, Ying, 2024. "How do supply- and demand-side dynamics and subsidies affect the prospects for electric vehicle battery swapping services? Evidence from an evolutionary analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 308(C).
    5. Rongjiang Cai & Tao Zhang & Xi Wang & Qiaoran Jia & Shufang Zhao & Nana Liu & Xiaoguang Wang, 2024. "Evolutionary Game and Simulation Analysis of New-Energy Vehicle Promotion in China Based on Reward and Punishment Mechanisms," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-24, September.
    6. Wang, Kunlun & Zheng, Leven J. & Zhang, Justin Zuopeng & Yao, Hongjiang, 2022. "The impact of promoting new energy vehicles on carbon intensity: Causal evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    7. Kaifu Yuan & Chuanji Wang & Guangqiang Wu, 2025. "Range Coopetition: NEV Automakers' Strategies Under Dual Credit Policy Influences," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(1), pages 5056-5092, March.
    8. Yongqing Xiong & Shufeng Qin, 2021. "Differences in the effects of China’s new energy vehicle industry policies on market growth from the perspective of policy mix," Energy & Environment, , vol. 32(3), pages 542-561, May.
    9. Zhao, Dan & Wang, Jian & Li, Ye-kai & Tang, Jin-huan & Zhang, Shui-wang, 2024. "How to promote the transition of fuel vehicle enterprises under dual credit policy? An improved tripartite evolutionary game analysis with time delay," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 293(C).
    10. Dong, Feng & Liu, Yajie, 2020. "Policy evolution and effect evaluation of new-energy vehicle industry in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    11. Li, Jingjing & Jiao, Jianling & Tang, Yunshu, 2019. "An evolutionary analysis on the effect of government policies on electric vehicle diffusion in complex network," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 1-12.
    12. Di Wang & Yuman Li, 2022. "Measuring the Policy Effectiveness of China’s New-Energy Vehicle Industry and Its Differential Impact on Supply and Demand Markets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-16, July.
    13. Jianlong Wu & Zhongji Yang & Xiaobo Hu & Hongqi Wang & Jing Huang, 2018. "Exploring Driving Forces of Sustainable Development of China’s New Energy Vehicle Industry: An Analysis from the Perspective of an Innovation Ecosystem," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-24, December.
    14. Yao, Xusheng & Shao, Zhiqi & Wang, Ze & Zhu, Zhu & Chen, Zuanxu & Wu, Qingyang, 2025. "Policy incentives and market mechanisms dual-driven framework for new energy vehicles promotion," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    15. Wenhui Zhao & Yimeng Liu & Jiansheng Hou & Lifang Liu, 2023. "Impact of Carbon Trading Mechanism Considering Blockchain Technology on the Evolution of New Energy Vehicle Industry in the Post-Subsidy Era," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-18, September.
    16. Chen, Feng & Wu, Bin & Lou, Wen-qian & Zhu, Bo-wen, 2024. "Impact of dual-credit policy on diffusion of technology R & D among automakers: Based on an evolutionary game model with technology-spillover in complex network," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 303(C).
    17. Li, Jingjing & Nian, Victor & Jiao, Jianling, 2022. "Diffusion and benefits evaluation of electric vehicles under policy interventions based on a multiagent system dynamics model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 309(C).
    18. Weixing Liu & Hongtao Yi, 2020. "What Affects the Diffusion of New Energy Vehicles Financial Subsidy Policy? Evidence from Chinese Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-15, January.
    19. Schwab, Julia & Sölch, Christian & Zöttl, Gregor, 2022. "Electric Vehicle Cost in 2035: The impact of market penetration and charging strategies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    20. Qin, Shufeng & Xiong, Yongqing, 2024. "Differences in the innovation effectiveness of China's new energy vehicle industry policies: A comparison of subsidized and non-subsidized policies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:13:p:5684-:d:1683412. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.