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.

  • zerfuffle
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    1 year ago

    Chinese EVs haven’t really tried to gain a significant foothold because domestic demand still outpaces supply. The international markets are getting pennies in investment from the industry because the domestic EV market is the single fastest growing car market in the world.

    • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      Good point. My problem is more with the manufacturing and corporate problems Chinese EVs have that result in, at best, a similar product, but more often than not, a more dangerous, less reliable and less worker and environmentally responsible product as a result of corporate corruption or entirely fabricated corporations to boost industry reputation.

      This view was not very clear in my initial comment as my intent was to express incredulity at the claims of the article.

      • zerfuffle
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        This comment reads like you haven’t had too much exposure to non-Western perspectives on China’s EV industry. The absolutely cutthroat competition in the sector has put a lot of weaker companies out of business. You’re judging an entire industry based on the worst companies in that industry rather than the average or the best companies (which also tend to have more sales).

        Imagine if you judged the American EV industry based on Nikola or if you only reported on American EVs built explicitly to murder pedestrians (like the Cybertruck). That’s what the current media coverage on China’s EV industry looks like because a success story is boring and doesn’t drive click-through rate.

        • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          No you’re making further strawman arguments based on your initial assumptive misinterpretations of my original comment about the article.

          You’ve made a mountain out of your cultivated molehill.

          Have you asked me that I thought of the industry? No you made incorrect assumptions and threw a tantrum.

          Have you asked what I thought about the future of the industry? No, you made incorrect assumptions and threw a tantrum.

          Have you asked about my familiarity with the industry? No, you climbed another rung on the ladder of your misperceptions and threw another tantrum.

          You’re arguing against things that you are making up unrelated to my original point.

          Keep chasing your own tail, but don’t pretend that you’re making any sort of a point.