Hyperdrive

France Ramps Up EV Ambitions as China’s Xi Arrives in Paris

Paris aims to quadruple electric vehicle sales by 2027
Finance Minister Le Maire says BYD welcome to invest in France

Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan arrive for an official two-day state visit at Orly airport, south of Paris on May 5.Photographer: Stephane de Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images

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By William Horobin

May 5, 2024 at 6:00 PM UTC

Updated on

May 6, 2024 at 9:57 AM UTC

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The French government signed a wide-ranging pact with the automotive industry on Monday that sets new targets for electric vehicle sales, just as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived for a state visit clouded by trade tensions in the sector.

The contract between the government, French business groups and unions aims for a fourfold increase in the sale of 100% EVs to 800,000 a year in 2027. It also targets a sixfold increase for electric light commercial vehicles to 100,000 a year.