How China’s EV Boom Caught Western Car Companies Asleep at the Wheel
wired.com
Auto execs in the US, Europe, and Japan never thought Chinese EVs were a threat. Now they’re coming to wipe the floor with their Western counterparts.
“You won’t believe what’s coming,” warned the title of a January 2023 video from the Inside China Auto YouTube channel. “Europe’s premium car makers aren’t ready for this,” warned another video from the same channel, uploaded in July.
Produced by Shanghai-based automotive journalist Mark Rainford, a former communications executive for Mercedes-Benz, the channel is one of several by China-based Western commentators agog at what they are seeing—and driving.
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This article reads like a terrible puff piece. Wired has really fallen low with a headline and article like this.
No real info, just statements from highly paid execs.
No way Chinese cars would be sold in U.S. or Japan, no idea about EU though. So no, not remotely a threat.
Seriously, this article is garbage.
Yeah, this is basically the stance auto industry execs had until the Chinese EVs actually arrived, and they did get five star safety ratings, and build quality wasn't crap, and then they've collectively had a Blackberry exec seeing the first iPhone moment.
They're really hoping you don't actually test drive one, though. And they'll spend a lot on disinformation to help make that happen.
They're already selling byd, mg and NIU cars in Europe, and Renault/Dacia is selling a rebranded car previously designed for the Chinese market. Teslas for the European market are made in China
Not sure who's buying a byd Atto for 40k in Europe, but indeed the western brands are sleeping on the wheel doing the bare minimum, leaving a large gap on the market
Only Model 3s for the European market are from China. The vast majority sold are Model Ys, and they are made in Germany.
Me neither, but I reckon a lot of people will be interested in a BYD seagull for 8k.
I live in Chile 🇨🇱 (South America 🌎), and i can guarantee you that my country has been flooded by Chinese cars in the last year. (Mostly Changan's, followed by BYD and finally Kia)
Plus, our government has made a deal with BYD so that they'll replace all fuel-based public transportation with EVs. 🔌⚡🚌 (Link [in Spanish] down below)
https://www.nexotrans.com/movil/noticia/111003/nexobus/los-autobuses-electricos-de-dos-pisos-de-byd-llegan-a-chile.html
So yeah, there IS a mayor market for China's cheap vehicles (aka developing countries), and i bet that until most vehicles around the planet are EVs, China will be the mayor seller for a few years.
Koa is owned by Hyundai, a South Korean company. But I see your point in the flood of Asian imports.