EVs are increasingly showing supercar performance, but this might hit a ceiling soon. China is preparing to introduce a sweeping new rule that would cap how quickly cars can accelerate when started, for instance.
A new draft issued by the Ministry of Public Security proposes that all passenger vehicles be, by default, unable to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in under 5 seconds. This is part of a far-reaching effort of the Chinese government to tighten safety standards in a market dominated by fast, powerful electric vehicles.
Only at the start
The rule wouldn’t ban high-performance cars or stop drivers from accessing full power, but it would require them to select a high-performance mode actively. Regulators say the move is designed to reduce accidents linked to the instantaneous torque and rapid acceleration EVs deliver—capabilities once reserved for supercars but now common in mass-market models.
The proposal is open for public comment until January 2026 and forms part of the most comprehensive EV-safety push China has undertaken to date.
Europe’s EV market now also includes numerous regular-production models capable of sub-five-second sprints to 100 km/h, led by the Tesla Model S Plaid (2.1–2.3 s) and the Porsche Taycan Turbo S (2.8 s).
Performance EVs, such as the Audi RS e-tron GT (3.3 s), Hyundai IONIQ 5 N (3.4 s), Kia EV6 GT (3.5 s), and Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 (3.3–3.5 s), deliver supercar-level acceleration in everyday formats.
More accessible performance EVs include the Tesla Model 3 Performance (3.1 s), Zeekr 001 AWD (3.8 s), Smart #1 Brabus (3.9 s), BMW i4 M50 (3.9 s), Ford Mustang Mach-E GT (3.7 s), and Tesla Model Y Performance (3.7 s). Even larger or luxury models like the Polestar 2 Dual Motor Performance (4.2 s), Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 (4.3 s), and Jaguar I-Pace (4.8 s) also sit comfortably under the five-second mark.
Never coming close to using it
In everyday traffic, no, you do not need sub-five-second acceleration — and in most scenarios you’ll never come close to using it. What ultra-fast EVs offer is capability, not necessity.
Their instant torque can feel exhilarating and provides a sense of effortless power. Still, it introduces new risks: inexperienced drivers may underestimate how forcefully an EV can accelerate, and traffic environments are rarely designed for supercar-level acceleration.
This contrast between capability and need is one of the reasons regulators, particularly in China, are now questioning whether such performance should be available by default.
Several new measures
The proposal, now undergoing public consultation until early January 2026, is one of several new measures China is rolling out amid growing concerns over EV-related accidents, battery fires, and misuse of driver-assistance systems.
China’s road to electrification has been spectacular: EVs now account for the majority of new-car sales in the country, and domestic brands are pushing the boundaries of software, powertrain performance, and autonomous driving.
The fatal crash of a Xiaomi SU7 carrying three female university students, which crashed at high speed and caught fire on an expressway earlier this year, helped propel EV safety to the top of the political agenda.
In fact, a string of accidents involving high-output models and advanced driver-assistance systems has fuelled debate over whether regulation is keeping pace with technological progress. State media have been calling for stricter oversight, and ministries are responding with a mix of binding standards and draft rules.
The government’s response is increasingly coordinated. Several ministries are now rolling out or fine-tuning a suite of measures designed to bolster battery safety, clarify the limits of driver-assistance features, and adjust insurance practices for software-heavy vehicles.
New battery safety standard
Central to this push is the new national battery safety standard, which will come into force in July 2026. It introduces more stringent requirements for how battery packs must behave in thermal runaway situations, an area of public concern as high-density cells and ultra-fast charging become commonplace.
The standard mandates more robust protections against fire and explosion, longer survival time before a thermal incident becomes life-threatening, and stricter crash-test criteria. It also aims to ensure failures remain contained long enough for occupants to exit safely.
Autonomous driving
Beijing is also aiming for the grey zone between driver-assistance and autonomous driving. New rules prohibit manufacturers from using terms such as “autonomous driving” or “smart driving” unless systems genuinely meet those capabilities. The move follows several incidents in which drivers were believed to have over-trusted partially automated functions.
Complementing this, draft regulations for Level-2 systems would require reliable driver-attention monitoring and automatic disengagement if drivers fail to respond to warnings. These rules could come into effect from 2027 if adopted.
Insurance guidelines
Another significant step is the introduction of EV-specific insurance guidelines. These encourage insurers to factor in risks linked to software quality, sensor reliability, cybersecurity, and the behaviour of advanced assistance systems—elements that traditional automotive risk models rarely capture.
The aim is to align premiums more closely with the technological complexity of modern EVs and to encourage manufacturers to improve system resilience.
Taken together, the measures illustrate Beijing’s determined effort to maintain public trust in electrification as vehicles become faster, heavier, and more automated. While China remains committed to pushing EV innovation, regulators are signalling that performance and autonomy must evolve within clear safety parameters.
If the acceleration-limit proposal moves forward, it may influence not only domestic models but also exports, potentially shaping global expectations of how high-performance EVs should behave by default.
