China was able to increase overall transportation use, despite cutting oil imports by 32%, according to second-quarter energy data reported by the country\u2019s National Bureau of Statistics and analysed for Carbon Brief<\/a> by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air<\/a>.<\/p>\n The reduction \u2013 equivalent to about a million barrels a day \u2013 from the world\u2019s biggest petro-customer helped to stabilise global oil prices, which nevertheless surged by about 60% in the weeks and months after the first US airstrikes in late February<\/a>.<\/p>\n How that was achieved has been the subject of considerable speculation. The analysis indicates that about two-thirds of the fall in imports came from running down, rather than building up, strategic oil stockpiles. The remaining third was largely covered by a reduction in demand.<\/p>\n Wind turbines on the Yellow Sea coast of Yancheng, China. Photograph: Alex Plavevski\/EPA<\/p>\n The country\u2019s use of oil fell by 9% overall and by 16% for transport. While large numbers of petrol and diesel vehicles stayed off the roads, there was a surge in journeys by electric cars, buses, trains and trucks.<\/p>\n This electrifying trend<\/a> had begun long before the strait of Hormuz crisis. China is by far the world\u2019s biggest manufacturer, user and exporter of batteries, e-vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels. The disruption of oil supplies from the Gulf has strengthened the economic and strategic imperative<\/a> of reducing petro-dependence.<\/p>\n In the first half of 2026, China\u2019s shift towards electric vehicles displaced the equivalent of the UK\u2019s entire oil consumption over a six-month period.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n Sign up to Down to Earth<\/p>\n The planet’s most important stories. Get all the week’s environment news – the good, the bad and the essential<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Analysts predict much of this demand will not return even if global oil prices fall. \u201cIn a qualitative sense, there\u2019s no question that the transport sector decarbonisation has been accelerated,\u201d said Lauri Myllyvirta<\/a>, the lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. \u201cIt\u2019s a validation of the energy security strategy that China has in place \u2026 It\u2019s very clear that electrification is the winning strategy to insure against these kinds of shocks.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788403331_242_500.jpg\")
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