COP29 | Another Step Forward for New Energy Vehicles Going Overseas: Guest Vehicles at Climate Conference Provided by Chinese Automakers

On November 15, at the Azerbaijan Corner in the Blue Zone of the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, Chinese automaker NIO signed a strategic cooperation agreement with its partner Green Car, announcing its official entry into the Azerbaijani market to provide smart electric vehicle products and services to local users.
According to the agreement, Green Car will become the national general agent for NIO in Azerbaijan, serving local users through direct operations. NIO will officially commence product deliveries in Azerbaijan in the second quarter of 2025, offering its full range of services to users in the Caucasus region.
NIO Becomes the Designated Vehicle Brand for VIPs at COP29
NIO has become the designated vehicle brand for VIPs at COP29, marking another step forward for China’s new energy vehicles in overseas markets.
Zhao Yingmin, head of the Chinese delegation at COP29 and Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment, delivered a speech at the event that day, stating that climate change is one of the most severe challenges facing the world today. China is a proactive actor in addressing climate change, implementing a national strategy to actively respond to climate change. Electric vehicles like those from NIO, as well as high-quality production capacities such as lithium batteries and photovoltaic products, have provided important support for global green development.
By the end of July 2024, China’s total installed capacity for wind and solar power generation had reached 1.2 billion kilowatts, 2.25 times that of the end of 2020, achieving the installed capacity promised to the international community more than six years early. In the transportation sector, China’s production and sales of new energy vehicles account for over 60% of the global total, ranking first in the world for nine consecutive years. In just this year alone, the production of new energy vehicles has exceeded ten million.
“We are willing to share China’s technologies and practices for green and low-carbon transformation with other countries, and engage in extensive exchanges and cooperation with relevant parties to jointly follow the path of green transformation,” said Zhao Yingmin.
He suggested strengthening policy dialogue, relying on multilateral cooperation platforms such as the Belt and Road Green Development International Alliance to continue promoting policy exchanges and dialogues in areas such as green and low-carbon transportation, building consensus, coordinating actions, and accelerating the development of new productive forces. He also proposed promoting the alignment of standards, strengthening the development of green and low-carbon standards for the upstream and downstream of the new energy vehicle industry chain, and relying on programs such as the Green Silk Road Envoy Plan and the Belt and Road Eco-Environmental Protection Talent Exchange Program to strengthen the cultivation of talents in the field of green and low-carbon transportation, providing intellectual support for the global development of green and low-carbon transportation. Additionally, he suggested deepening industrial cooperation, promoting the connection and cooperation of industries such as new energy vehicles with the support of projects such as South-South Cooperation on Climate Change and the Green Development Investment and Financing Partnership, improving the accessibility and innovation level of green and low-carbon products and technologies, and facilitating the implementation of more practical cooperation projects.
Azerbaijan, the host country of COP29, which means “the land of fire,” is one of the world’s most important energy exporting countries. Nasirov ILHAM, advisor to the Minister of Ecology and Environment of Azerbaijan, stated at a previous side event, “Due to the government’s encouragement policies, more and more electric vehicles can be seen on the roads of Azerbaijan. In 2023, the number of electric vehicles in Azerbaijan almost increased by 20 times compared to two years ago.” However, a reporter from The Paper (www.thepaper.cn) observed that new energy vehicles are still rare on the streets of Baku, and the exhaust fumes from gasoline and diesel vehicles are evident.
At COP29, Azerbaijan pledged to increase its renewable energy generation capacity by 30% by 2030. Local media believe that Azerbaijan’s successful bid to host COP29 further demonstrates its determination and confidence in promoting green energy transformation.