The withering dream of a cheap American electric car

If we wanted a cheap American electric car, the way to do it would be to allow Chinese EV manufacturers to sell to the American public!

Of course, that is not allowed, because it would benefit the American people and hurt the American car cartel.

Chinese EV imports could threaten national security through technology dependence and harm American auto manufacturing jobs. Safety and environmental standards may also be lower. I think that view is rather narrow.

And two million less jobs for Americans. Huge benefit!

>threaten national security through technology dependence and harm American auto manufacturing jobs. Safety and environmental standards may also be lower.

Protectionism based tax and economic policy causes the exact same outcomes but far enough in the future and far enough away that the people who implemented it will be retired and/or dead and the people who voted for those people to do it will have had time to spin some counter narrative about it being an honest mistake, everyone thinking it was a good idea at the time, etc, etc.

Americans vote against their own self interests constantly. How is this any different? Or do you think the US govt couldn't backstop it's own car companies until they became cost competitive? Seems like a win/win if we want to speed up EV adoption and reduce global emissions. If a new $20k EV with 300 miles of range was released tomorrow, we'd see massive adoption similar to the original Model 3. Americans I believe are largely ready for EV adoption but the only thing stopping the majority is price.

Well, there's also the 4.3 million US autoworkers who'd ultimately be the ones to get shafted.

I don't think we can keep killing off entire industries and expect it to work out in the long run. At some point, what's left? WalMart?

Congrats! You discovered the Broken Window Fallacy.

There are 300 million Americans. Why should ~1% get to hold the remaining 99% hostage?

I’d say let’s ask the free market and put BYD’s for sale to see what the American people think.

America's grid isn't ready for massive EV adoption, nor are its fire departments or insurance underwriters, indoor parking garages, etc.

Price is not the thing holding back EV adoption. The people who are in the $20k car market don't own their own homes and don't have anywhere to plug their theoretical EV into consistently.

EVs as they are now are only as successful as they are because of a set of diehard futurists with cash to burn and excessive government subsidy.

My brother in christ, that is not the Broken Window Fallacy

Weird to me that off-shoring is back in vogue.

It’s strategically important to have essential industries at home.

No. They will flood the market with government-subsidized EVs built in zero-workers-rights environments that will absolutely destroy the American auto industry. It will benefit American people in the short term but absolutely harm our country long-term.

Who is facing stiff competition from Amazon (heaps of Chinese goods) and Wish (Chinese company)

Perhaps true, but how is this any different to other Chinese products sold at Walmart ?

It's not. Heaps on heaps on heaps of small businesses have been destroyed by cheap international goods that Walmart and Amazon push, and customers have crappier products that don't last as long as a result.

This is incorrect. The products we buy today from the Chinese through big box stores like Walmart (or Amazon) actually last much longer and work far better than the same American-made goods from 25 years ago in those same big box stores before China was so dominant.

Quality is actually going up as prices come down VIA CHINA. You may get comfort pretending otherwise, but Chinese manufacturing is generally far better than US manufacturing at large scale. Sure, you can find some bespoke businesses that make great stuff here, but if you want the best possible smartphone or bluejeans or air conditioner, or automobille, you'd go with China over the US most days of the week.

You think Japanese auto imports was good for American auto manufacturing jobs?

Don't you remember American auto workers beating a Japanese man to death? You probably don't, because they beat a Chinese man to death by mistake. [1]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Vincent_Chin