Starting in 2026, Chinese car manufacturers will no longer be allowed to offer one of the most popular features in their electric vehicles: One-Pedal Driving.
According to new regulatory documents released by the Chinese government, this feature—which enables a car to decelerate and come to a complete stop using only the accelerator pedal—will be banned in new passenger vehicle models beginning January.
One-Pedal Driving is a system commonly offered in many electric vehicles currently sold in Israel and around the world. It leverages the electric motor’s ability to function as a generator when not under load. When a driver presses the accelerator, the motor uses electricity from the battery.
But when the car is moving and the accelerator is released—such as when coasting downhill—the motor switches modes, converting kinetic energy back into electricity to recharge the battery. This regenerative braking continues until the car comes to a full stop.
Most manufacturers now allow drivers to choose between different levels of regenerative braking, from standard deceleration to aggressive energy recovery that significantly slows the car—especially useful on steep descents. Beyond energy recovery, the system’s main advantage is convenience: drivers can often navigate stop-and-go traffic without needing to touch the brake pedal.
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Despite these benefits, Chinese regulators have decided to prohibit systems that enable full stops without the use of the brake pedal. According to the regulation summary, the new rule applies to regenerative braking systems in both fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
“The regulation concerns commonly used energy recovery systems in electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles and will prohibit configurations where releasing the accelerator pedal alone brings the vehicle to a complete stop,” the document read.
The reasoning behind the change, as outlined in the documents, is safety. Authorities argue that One-Pedal Driving reduces driver alertness and may compromise emergency response times when the use of the brake pedal is suddenly required.
It remains unclear whether this regulatory shift will influence international markets. However, given that China currently dominates global electric vehicle production, it is unlikely that Chinese automakers will create separate versions with One-Pedal Driving enabled for export to Western markets.