China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle

The China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC) (Chinese: 中国轻型汽车行驶工况; pinyin: Zhōngguó qīngxíng qìchē xíngshǐ gōng kuàng) is a driving cycle standard introduced by the government of China to measure the energy consumption, driving range and emissions of light-duty vehicles, including both internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and electric vehicles (EV). It was developed with a goal to align vehicle testing with Chinese real-world driving conditions, and to replace the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) in China.

The CLTC was first adopted into regulation by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in October 2021 under the national standard "GB/T 38146.1-2019, China Automotive Test Cycle Part 1: Light Vehicles". It allows the manufacturer of battery electric vehicles to report all-electric range and energy consumption based on either the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) or CLTC.

The CLTC testing accounts for the country's higher congestion levels with more frequent stop-and-go and lower speed limits, which lead to increased low-speed driving and longer idling times that benefits electric vehicles.^[1]

As of 2024^[update], the CLTC standard is used in China alongside the NEDC and the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Cycle (WLTC). Outside China, the CLTC has drawn criticism for being perceived as less rigorous than other standards such as the WLTP and EPA in electric vehicle range estimates.^[2]