China has become a powerhouse in electric vehicles. Its automaker BYD recently topped Tesla in global EV sales, with Elon Musk warning of Chinese carmakers, “If there are no trade barriers established, they will pretty much demolish most other car companies in the world. They’re extremely good.”

On Friday, the Alliance for American Manufacturing sounded the alarm, issuing a report entitled: “On a Collision Course: China’s Existential Threat to America’s Auto Industry and its Route Through Mexico.”

The report, which lists policy recommendations to combat overcapacity and unfair trade practices, notes that BYD is building factories in Thailand and Hungary designed to be regional export hubs. It then adds:

“More alarming, however, are Chinese firms’ heavy spending on plants in Mexico, through which they can access the United States by way of the more favorable tariffs under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This strategy is, in effect, an effort to gain backdoor access to American consumers by circumventing existing policies that are keeping China’s autos out of the U.S. market.”

  • deezbutts@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    17
    ·
    8 months ago

    Hard disagree.

    I’d love to save on gas and maintenance but there’s no affordable EVs for a family of 5. I’m not spending 50k+ on a Hyundai crossover.

    • JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      8 months ago

      Yeah, the bolt is really the only cheap EV, and it’s not really suited for a family of five. (Though it does have five seats)

    • jasparagus@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      8 months ago

      Yeah, and the the EV9 (3-row) is $60k (not remotely cheap, but the cheapest I’m aware of). It’s obviously worth checking the 5-year cost proposition (given fuel vs. electricity pricing), but if the math doesn’t work out for your driving needs, then you’re pretty well out of options for now.