The era of sub-3-second family cars may face a speed bump in China. A new draft national standard would force every passenger vehicle to start in a subdued “eco-like” mode, taking at least five seconds to reach 100 km/h unless the driver manually unlocks full performance.
Titled Technical Specifications for Power-Driven Vehicles Operating on Roads, the proposal would replace the existing GB 7258-2017 standard, which had no such throttle cap. Section 10.5.4 explicitly states:
“After each power-on/ignition… the vehicle should be in a state where the 100 km/h acceleration time is not less than 5 seconds.”
The restriction would be software-based—akin to today’s Eco modes—and reset with every restart. Drivers could still access full power, but only by deliberately selecting a quicker setting each time they get in.
While the rule applies to all passenger cars, high-performance EVs stand to lose the most. Flagship models currently bragging 0-100 km/h times under 2.5 seconds would be neutered at startup:
Separate Rule for Long Vehicles
A companion draft, Safety Specifications for Power-Driven Vehicles Operating on Roads, targets stretched passenger cars:
Section 10.5.1: Vehicles ≥6 m long must sound a visual/audible overspeed alarm if exceeding a factory-set limit (capped at 100 km/h), unless equipped with an approved speed limiter.
This primarily affects limousines. The prior-generation Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Wheelbase (6,092 mm) would trigger the alarm; the current model (5,982 mm) narrowly escapes.
Europe already mandates speed-limit warnings, but China’s approach is stricter: actual performance throttling at startup, not just alerts. If passed, the rules would reshape how drivers experience acceleration—especially in the world’s largest EV market.