Excerpt, Melissa Eddy, the New York Times:
//The #European Union said on Wednesday that it would impose additional #tariffs of up to 38 per cent on electric cars built in China, which it said would help level the playing field for European automakers.
The tariffs, which have been expected for months, come on top of existing 10 per cent duties, but the level of their impact has been disputed. Some European #automakers argue they will set off a trade war, but other experts have said they will not stop China’s dominance in the industry.
Instead, they argue that incentives to make low-emission cars more attractive to drivers are needed instead, if the European Union hopes to meet its goal to ban the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles in 2035.
Industry experts predict that the increased duties on electric vehicles from China will hurt consumers more than Chinese automakers by raising the price of the most affordable electric cars on the market.
However, according to an investigation by the European Union, the entire #supplychain of Chinese electric cars enjoys government subsidies that allow automakers to reduce their production costs drastically. The European investigation found that this gives Chinese producers an unfair competitive edge over their European rivals.
Clamping down on #EV exports to #EU nations could drive more automakers in China to shift assembly to European countries like Hungary or Spain, where costs for labour and parts are higher, resulting in higher consumer costs.
German manufacturers BMW, Mercedes, and Volkswagen sell to the Chinese and have significant production, research and development operations in China. They fear that any retribution from Beijing could harm their business.
The European Union began an investigation into Chinese E.V. subsidies in October, citing what leaders said was unfair competition, especially from China’s three leading makers of electric cars, BYD, Geely and SAIC.//
#tradewar
#antidumping
#manufacturing
#economy
#geopolitics
FF EV, in collaboration with partners like VinFast, aims to an EV below $20,000. Let Wall Street knows: Drawing on the rich expertise of Asian manufacturers, particularly in East Asia, FF EV can compete vigorously in this market segment with its East Asian competitors. While developing an air taxi with four additional seats necessitates substantial investments running into billions and faces prolonged timelines due to technological constraints, crafting a smaller EVTOL tailored for private family use or pilot training schools proves to be a swifter and more cost-efficient venture requiring only a few million dollars in investment. Within six months, the compact EVTOL can hit the market, under $90,000—the world lowest price of a hybrid EVTOL with range of 300 miles —boasting a profit margin of approximately 50-60%. This echoes the early stages of the horse cart, which originally accommodated just one or two passengers. Moreover, the utilization of low-cost carbon fiber composite for both the car body and wheels further underscores the commitment to affordability and innovation. Notably, the cost of this composite process is 80% lower than that of the BMW i3 car body, signaling a paradigm shift in sustainable mobility solutions.