Beijing is rattling Chinese automakers, mandating them to accelerate production of electric vehicles by 2019. 

The move is meant to put Chinese car makers in a position to challenge the biggest names around the globe; Tesla, GM, and Nissan are among those with established electric vehicles.  France and England are talking about eliminating the gas engine altogether, and California is reportedly also considering similarly stringent limits on carbon emissions.

But the domestic market is every bit as important:  China is the world's largest car market.  And Ford Motor Co., the Renault-Nissan Alliance, and Volkswagen AG have already set up joint ventures with local companies in China to carve out pieces of that pie.

The mandate will set up challenges for companies that will now retool factories and rush electric vehicle concepts into production.