China is planning to limit how fast cars can accelerate to reach 62mph at startup
Published on Nov 17, 2025 at 12:43 PM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson
Last updated on Nov 17, 2025 at 1:49 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
China might be about to put a barrier up against your car’s performance on the way to 62mph, in a bid to shore up its road safety regulations.
A new draft regulation from Beijing would force cars to wake up in a slower, restricted mode.
The goal is to calm down the instant launches modern EVs can deliver at every set of lights.
And if it goes ahead, even the quickest electric sedans will have to ease into the day instead of exploding off the line.
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China’s new rule that slows every car down on the way to 62mph
China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) is currently pushing a new draft standard called Technical Specifications for Power-Driven Vehicles Operating on Roads.
It includes a major change to how every car would behave the moment it turns on.
Under the proposal, every passenger car must take five seconds or more to reach 62mph at startup.
It’s a software-based limit, not a mechanical one.
Each ignition forces the car into a restricted launch profile, softening its initial acceleration every single time.
If drivers want full performance, they’d have to switch modes manually and repeat the step every time the car wakes up.
That change would land hardest on China’s quickest EVs.
The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, Zeekr 001 FR, Tesla Model S Plaid, and BYD Yangwang U9 are all known for two-second launches, yet under the draft rule, they’d all start in slow mode.
In practice, they’d wake up behaving more like base hatchbacks until the driver opts in again.
The draft standard is meant to replace China’s existing GB 7258-2017 rulebook as part of a broader road safety push.
And while Europe uses speed warnings, no major market currently requires cars to start in a restricted launch mode.
Meaning China would be the first.
And China has another speed rule coming too
The same regulators are also considering a second rule, this time aimed at the longest passenger cars on the road.
In this draft, any model over 6 meters (about 19.6 feet) would be required to carry an overspeed alarm that activates if it goes past its permitted limit – a limit capped at 62mph.
Most SUVs and minivans slip under that measurement, but stretched limousines wouldn’t.
These two draft rules show China is heading toward tighter control over both ultra-quick EVs and oversized luxury models through software rather than hardware.
If the proposals are approved, China’s fastest cars won’t lose their power.
They’ll just have to unlock it every time they wake up.
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Molly Davidson is a Junior Content Writer at Supercar Blondie. Based in Melbourne, she holds a double Bachelor’s degree in Arts/Law from Swinburne University and a Master’s of Writing and Publishing from RMIT. Molly has contributed to a range of magazines and journals, developing a strong interest in lifestyle and car news content. When she’s not writing, she’s spending quality time with her rescue English staffy, Boof.
