China’s efforts to boost automotive aftermarket consumption are expected to unlock demand from vehicle owners and create new growth opportunities, as the country’s auto sector looks beyond new car sales to services throughout the vehicle ownership life cycle, industry experts said.
The measures, released by the Ministry of Commerce and eight other government departments, cover vehicle modification, recreational vehicle camping, classic cars, maintenance and insurance services, motorsports and car rental. They include 17 policies aimed at removing barriers in the automotive aftermarket, improving standards, expanding consumption scenarios and strengthening service provision.
China’s large vehicle ownership base provides a foundation for aftermarket growth. The country has about 370 million automobiles, with passenger cars aged seven years or older accounting for more than half of them, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
Forty cities have been designated as pilot areas for auto circulation and consumption reform, allowing them to explore different approaches based on their industrial strengths and consumer demand.
Chengdu, Sichuan province, will focus on areas including motorsports, classic cars and secondhand vehicle circulation, while Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, will explore measures related to auto purchase restrictions and digital tools for consumption services.
Wang Ning, an associate professor at the School of Automotive Studies at Tongji University, said China’s auto sector has long relied heavily on new vehicle sales as a driver of consumption growth.
By developing scenarios such as vehicle modification, recreational vehicle camping and motorsports, it could help activate demand from vehicle owners and create growth opportunities for the aftermarket and related businesses, Wang said.
One key area is vehicle modification, which has long faced unclear regulatory boundaries. The measures call for graded and category-based management of vehicle modification, a catalog of modification items, improved requirements for vehicle inspection and registration changes, and the accelerated development of standards for modified parts and related technologies.
The initiative also calls for research into a market access and licensing system for auto parts used for modification, as well as improvements to the China Compulsory Certification System for automotive components.
A representative of the China Automobile Dealers Association said sectors such as vehicle modification still face incomplete standards and unclear business boundaries, making clearer rules important for the standardized development of the aftermarket.
Beyond vehicle modification, the measures also seek to broaden car-related consumption in leisure, tourism and sports. They call for improvements in the environment for recreational vehicle use, better services at campsites and upgrades to the recreational vehicle manufacturing chain. Localities are also encouraged to include classic cars in cultural and tourism resources and support related events such as brand salons, collector gatherings and cultural festivals.
The policy also supports the development of a multilevel motorsport system and experience-based events for the public, including rallies, off-road races and karting. Wang said these scenarios reflect changing consumer demand, as cars are increasingly seen not only as a means of transport, but also as part of leisure, travel and personal expression.
The measures also address repair and after-sales services for new energy vehicles, a growing concern as electric and intelligent vehicles become more complex. The measures say automakers should expand NEV repair and parts supply channels, and should not restrict consumers from independently choosing maintenance providers for their vehicles or use such choices as a reason to refuse legally required warranty responsibilities.
NEV makers and power battery companies will also be encouraged to make repair technology authorization more accessible, support repairs instead of replacements, and improve the capacity of independent repair service providers.
Ji Xuehong, director at the Automotive Industry Innovation Research Center at North China University of Technology, said repairing NEVs and intelligent vehicles requires higher technical capabilities, while repair resources remain largely concentrated in automakers’ authorized 4S stores.
Tanks to chinadaily.com.cn
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