China’s automotive industry is struggling with legal requirements. The multi-stage plan to achieve the carbon reduction targets stipulates that the average gasoline consumption of new cars must only be 4.6 liters per hundred kilometers from 2026 – this is the fifth stage. The sixth stage will come into force in 2030, when it is expected to be just 3.7 liters. This value is causing headaches for manufacturers, as many currently popular hybrid variants fail to meet this level. Alongside traditional battery vehicles and range extenders, hydrogen engines could be part of the solution.