Chinese companies are releasing new models in record times, and many are producing EVs efficiently and profitably.

Chinese automakers pose a growing threat to their American counterparts — even without selling directly to consumers in the U.S. market.

Sales of China-made vehicles are rising at notable rates in Asia, Europe and other countries outside those continents. China recently reported exports of more than 5 million vehicles in 2023, topping Japan to become the top country for car exports in the world.

That volume from well-established, government-owned companies like SAIC and Dongfeng, as well as newer players like BYD, Nio and others, has catapulted China from the sixth ranking to the top seed since 2020. It comes amid declining U.S. vehicle exports as companies such as General Motors have cut international operations. U.S. auto exports in 2022, the most recent data available, were down 25% from their peak in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

America — fourth globally in vehicle exports prior to 2020 — ranked sixth in the world last year, falling behind No. 5 Mexico, No. 4 South Korea and No. 3 Germany, according to global consulting firm AlixPartners.

  • Flying Squid
    7•5 months ago

    Is this why we can’t import Chinese cars in the U.S.? They’re actually affordable and desirable?

    • @[email protected]
      13•5 months ago

      Chinese automakers are heavily subsidized by the government, so the US prevents their import to prevent them from undercutting domestic automakers. I’m sure there’s a balance to this that doesn’t involve a total import ban, but the US hasn’t figured it out yet.

    • @[email protected]OPEnglish
      7•5 months ago

      Like @[email protected] said, Chinese subsidies for electric vehicles are helping to flood the global market. In fact, the EU has started to look into this:

      The European Union is launching an investigation into subsidies that China provides to electric vehicle makers, the head of the bloc’s executive branch said Wednesday, as concern grows that the aid is harming European companies.

      “Global markets are now flooded with cheaper Chinese electric cars, and their price is kept artificially low by huge state subsidies. This is distorting our market,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France.

      https://apnews.com/article/eu-china-electric-vehicle-subsidy-investigation-15ec926e756a36a7612a66623ccea51f