Four years after the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA), Mexico and the U.S. face the prospect of cheap Chinese electric vehicles dominating a fast-growing market and undermining GM, Ford, and Tesla.
Outcompeting by having a nation subsidize the cost. Until local manufacturers go out of business because they can’t compete. Then China owns the entire industry she jacks to the price.
It’s weird that this has to be explained to Americans - this is how much of Big Tech got to where they are, except they call it “disruption”.
BTW this shows perfectly that free markets are not a be-all-end-all thing. It’s a tool, and if it produces outcomes that you don’t like, you can adjust it for better outcomes. The hypocrisy here is not that they pretend to worship the market then cry foul when China enters it on their terms, but that they do adjust it for their benefit all the time, and only pretend to worship it when people ask for their fair share.
Larger population means larger representation. If you say the Netherlands only has about 100,000 idiots, that’s roughly half a percent of their population.
Half of a percent of the US population is over 1.5 million. And I promise you, we have a waaaaaaay higher percentage of idiots than that.
While we’ve seen this cycle play out quite a few times in Big Tech, I think a lot of people just aren’t aware of what it is. I’ve had friends decry how, “Uber is now basically as expensive as a taxi.” I point out how Uber is only recently profitable and see people’s minds get blown.
Uber’s costs are because of oversized compensation packages for executives and lots of R&D put into autonomous driving. The bulk of the actual cost of operation is on the shoulders of drivers who wear down their vehicles for the sake of Uber. All Uber does is provide an app, which is laughably cheap by comparison.
You’re introducing an argument as a way to undermine the viewpoint that’s opposite to yours.
No one said it’s fine “when we do it”. That’s not the point being discussed.
The other bigger issue here is that these new cars are coming from a region that has a horrendous track record for safety and quality. EVs when done right are still a considerable risk with battery fires, but the ones manufactured in China are much worse for quality and safety. In the next few years, as these cars flood markets around the world, it will be a massive issue.
They seem safe enough to pass the EU’s safety standards, which are much higher than the US. Also this blanket “quality issues” argument without specific evidence is terrible. If we’re going off of quality in recent history, American manufacturing is down the toilet in terms of quality - just look at Boeing.
Lmao there’s a guy who usually posts a long response to these “subsidies” claims bullshit, but I think they got into a pissing match with a mod in the comments and got banned lmao.
Jist of it is: China’s subsidies are negligible compared to the US, and what they’ve actually done is created a competitive domestic market with a large number of players. Unless you think Chinese people are all puppets, even if China (as a country) owns the industry it would not prevent internal competition that drives down prices. Moreover, China does not offer per-unit subsidies on export. In fact, Chinese EVs exported to Europe are something like 40% more expensive than domestically for the same model.
I mean the US is also doing that. It’s not a subsidies issue; it’s the fact that Chinese companies are using subsidies to actually make things while US companies are just pocketing them.
I mean nobody is blocking US goods, but the subsidies are definitely a thing. Also why would China even block US EVs when they’re uncontestedly winning that market?
Outcompeting by having a nation subsidize the cost. Until local manufacturers go out of business because they can’t compete. Then China owns the entire industry she jacks to the price.
It’s like no one has been paying attention.
It’s weird that this has to be explained to Americans - this is how much of Big Tech got to where they are, except they call it “disruption”.
BTW this shows perfectly that free markets are not a be-all-end-all thing. It’s a tool, and if it produces outcomes that you don’t like, you can adjust it for better outcomes. The hypocrisy here is not that they pretend to worship the market then cry foul when China enters it on their terms, but that they do adjust it for their benefit all the time, and only pretend to worship it when people ask for their fair share.
Larger population means larger representation. If you say the Netherlands only has about 100,000 idiots, that’s roughly half a percent of their population.
Half of a percent of the US population is over 1.5 million. And I promise you, we have a waaaaaaay higher percentage of idiots than that.
While we’ve seen this cycle play out quite a few times in Big Tech, I think a lot of people just aren’t aware of what it is. I’ve had friends decry how, “Uber is now basically as expensive as a taxi.” I point out how Uber is only recently profitable and see people’s minds get blown.
Uber’s costs are because of oversized compensation packages for executives and lots of R&D put into autonomous driving. The bulk of the actual cost of operation is on the shoulders of drivers who wear down their vehicles for the sake of Uber. All Uber does is provide an app, which is laughably cheap by comparison.
Ah, I see. So it’s cool when we do it (fossil fuel and ag subsidies, the auto industry bailout in 2008, etc.) but not when they do it.
Got it.
You’re introducing an argument as a way to undermine the viewpoint that’s opposite to yours.
No one said it’s fine “when we do it”. That’s not the point being discussed.
The other bigger issue here is that these new cars are coming from a region that has a horrendous track record for safety and quality. EVs when done right are still a considerable risk with battery fires, but the ones manufactured in China are much worse for quality and safety. In the next few years, as these cars flood markets around the world, it will be a massive issue.
Lmao this is coming from the same safety organization that approved the Tesla Cybertruck?
I’ll take my chances with a car that’s seen EU approval.
https://www.carscoops.com/2024/03/chinese-evs-become-virtually-uninsurable-in-the-uk-says-report/
The reality is that I don’t think any EV is “safe” as far as the batteries go
It’s funny because your article states the vehicles are fine. Good job on dropping a link you did not bother clicking yourself.
They seem safe enough to pass the EU’s safety standards, which are much higher than the US. Also this blanket “quality issues” argument without specific evidence is terrible. If we’re going off of quality in recent history, American manufacturing is down the toilet in terms of quality - just look at Boeing.
People wrongly assume all Chinese manufacturing is aliexpress fodder.
https://www.euroncap.com/en/results/byd/dolphin/50011 Seems relevant
I’m sorry but 1 star out of 5 on the European NCAP is terrible ! This car is a death trap !
I would never set a foot in a Chinese …
Oh wait ! I was looking at the Jeep wrangler, never mind.
The BYD has a 5 star rating as well as an the other chinese cars I checked.
Euro NCAP - Jeep Wrangler
Lmao there’s a guy who usually posts a long response to these “subsidies” claims bullshit, but I think they got into a pissing match with a mod in the comments and got banned lmao.
Jist of it is: China’s subsidies are negligible compared to the US, and what they’ve actually done is created a competitive domestic market with a large number of players. Unless you think Chinese people are all puppets, even if China (as a country) owns the industry it would not prevent internal competition that drives down prices. Moreover, China does not offer per-unit subsidies on export. In fact, Chinese EVs exported to Europe are something like 40% more expensive than domestically for the same model.
I mean the US is also doing that. It’s not a subsidies issue; it’s the fact that Chinese companies are using subsidies to actually make things while US companies are just pocketing them.
I get a craving for corn whenever someone says subsidies.
Is the US? What us car company is doing it to such a degree name countries are blocking their goods?
I mean nobody is blocking US goods, but the subsidies are definitely a thing. Also why would China even block US EVs when they’re uncontestedly winning that market?
Exactly, if subsidies were actually invested properly countries might actually care about USA vehicles
The ol’ Wal-Marteroo
Tesla has been subsidized by years. The difference is china delivers and in America an asshole get rich.
So the CCP party members aren’t getting rich?
I mean they are but they’re also delivering.
Of course, they and the Wang Chaunfus.