Impact of battery electric vehicle usage on air quality in three Chinese first-tier cities

Industrialized countries, particularly China, are grappling with the challenge of mitigating air pollution amidst rapid urbanization. As per the International Energy Agency, China’s CO₂ emissions in 2021 accounted for a staggering 33% of the global total, amounting to 11.9 billion tonnes. The transportation sector, a major contributor to China’s carbon footprint, is responsible for about 10% of its total emissions^1,2. This environmental issue is particularly acute in China’s super-tier-1 cities, where air pollution significantly hinders socioeconomic growth and public health^3,4.

In…