Economy Why a small China-made EV has global auto execs and politicians on edge

[Natural Order]

If it was available in NA the primary reason I wouldn't buy it is because of the risk of Chinese spyware. Personally not a fan of EVs but if I could get a new one for ~$10,000-$11,000 it'd be a no brainer.

Yeah, and you'd be spending 2-3K a year on maintenance to keep the thing road worthy. Don't mind the battery exploding either. A replacement is probably just the cost of the car itself!

 

[Brigfa2]

looks like a death trap.

 

[Big Nasty Edison]

So small rant here. Please forgive me.

But I grew up EXTREMELY poor. No phone, no internet, no car. At times no air conditioning. We walked or biked EVERYWHERE. To doctor's appointments, to the grocery store, etc. I walked to school from 4th grade onward in all seasons. A car literally seemed like a dream back then.

I finally got my first car when my mom took all her tax money and savings when I was 17 years old and she bought some $600 piece of crap. But you know it was my piece of crap. I can't tell you how many more thousands went into just keeping it on the road. Trapped in the race of never being able to afford a better one because I couldn't afford to not go to work to make money to put into the crappy one.

Now I see on youtube people just getting these Chinese mini cars and trucks for a few thousand dollars (not counting all the import taxes and fees). But you know what, I would have KILLED for something like this as a kid.

Even if it was little more than a glorified enclosed gold cart that couldn't go on the highway. It would have been so much easier to our lives. There's no reason America couldn't have been building things like this for a long time. And now we're in a position where other countries took the initiative to. I don't like it at all and wish my country would have been leading the way in cheap, easy to maintain transportation. Something like this is little more than a body with a washing machine motor in it.

 

[jefferz]

So small rant here. Please forgive me.

But I grew up EXTREMELY poor. No phone, no internet, no car. At times no air conditioning. We walked or biked EVERYWHERE. To doctor's appointments, to the grocery store, etc. I walked to school from 4th grade onward in all seasons. A car literally seemed like a dream back then.

I finally got my first car when my mom took all her tax money and savings when I was 17 years old and she bought some $600 piece of crap. But you know it was my piece of crap. I can't tell you how many more thousands went into just keeping it on the road. Trapped in the race of never being able to afford a better one because I couldn't afford to not go to work to make money to put into the crappy one.

Now I see on youtube people just getting these Chinese mini cars and trucks for a few thousand dollars (not counting all the import taxes and fees). But you know what, I would have KILLED for something like this as a kid.

Even if it was little more than a glorified enclosed gold cart that couldn't go on the highway. It would have been so much easier to our lives. There's no reason America couldn't have been building things like this for a long time. And now we're in a position where other countries took the initiative to. I don't like it at all and wish my country would have been leading the way in cheap, easy to maintain transportation. Something like this is little more than a body with a washing machine motor in it.

America can't compete with the Chang-Li. Just the labor cost in the USA would be more than what China can sell the whole vehicle for.
Some areas of the country allow these small vehicles, but it's mainly large cities.



Toyota is building a low end $10k pickup, but we're not getting it. I would buy 2 immediately, maybe 3, if they offered them here.

https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2025-toyota-imv-0-pickup-truck-first-drive-review-japan-mobility-show/

 

[tenniswhiz]

I wish there were more options in the USA for tiny commuter cars. In and around big cities there is a need.

It’s ironic how in America, a car has to pass stringent safety standards, but meanwhile people are riding around on motorcycles, scooters, and e-bikes often without even wearing helmets.

 

[Hdfi]

The real reason is because Tesla, Ford, etc. are bribing corrupt American politicians to maintain a monopoly against competitors from other countries. As a result, consumers pay more for worse products.

 

[Rod1]

America can't compete with the Chang-Li. Just the labor cost in the USA would be more than what China can sell the whole vehicle for.
Some areas of the country allow these small vehicles, but it's mainly large cities.



Toyota is building a low end $10k pickup, but we're not getting it. I would buy 2 immediately, maybe 3, if they offered them here.

https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2025-toyota-imv-0-pickup-truck-first-drive-review-japan-mobility-show/

US has Mexico and an incredibly vast and efficient supply chain that allows to be competitive in the car scene.

The only reason they are super cheap in China is because China has lax regulation, any Chinese car that wants to enter US market will need to comply with US safety and fuel regulations, which will make it more expensive.

Source?

Fucking Europe, there are already commercial Chinese cars in Europe like the Lynk & Co which comply with EU regulation and thus are well made.

 

[jefferz]

US has Mexico and an incredibly vast and efficient supply chain that allows to be competitive in the car scene.

The only reason they are super cheap in China is because China has lax regulation, any Chinese car that wants to enter US market will need to comply with US safety and fuel regulations, which will make it more expensive.

Source?

Fucking Europe, there are already commercial Chinese cars in Europe like the Lynk & Co which comply with EU regulation and thus are well made.

The US supply chain is shit. Ford has shut down their F150 production multiple times in the past couple of years due to the chip shortage.

Even if the US dropped the safety and fuel regulations, we still couldn't build a competing Chang Li for anywhere near the price.

 

[terrapin]

It's not like we can't build cars for cheap too. We just don't want to because our manufacturers are all c**** who don't give one f*** about people or pollution or the environment or anything at all except profit.

It's disgusting and sickening and just makes me want to puke.

 

[BlankaPresident]

I've driven the BYD Dolphin and it's a nice urban car. It's too early to say about durability issues but they seem to be decently built and are well equipped for their price range. Total bargain compared to similar priced cars.

From what I've read they have good scores in crash and safety tests too.

 

[Dalarna3]

Are any Chinese cars on the market here?

 

[Fedor>Cain]

I wish there were more options in the USA for tiny commuter cars. In and around big cities there is a need.

It’s ironic how in America, a car has to pass stringent safety standards, but meanwhile people are riding around on motorcycles, scooters, and e-bikes often without even wearing helmets.

Tbf, fuck all that.

I want my vehicle as safe as humanly possible. Car wrecks are no fucking joke.

Better factor in good ole USA medical bills into the cost of that equation.

 

[NoSmilez]

I think Americans need to travel a little. We are honestly behind this new trend. We are going the opposite direction when it comes to EVs. EVs in America are going up in price vs going down in other countries. I think we might end up compromising on hybrid vehicles instead.

 

[Rod1]

So small rant here. Please forgive me.

But I grew up EXTREMELY poor. No phone, no internet, no car. At times no air conditioning. We walked or biked EVERYWHERE. To doctor's appointments, to the grocery store, etc. I walked to school from 4th grade onward in all seasons. A car literally seemed like a dream back then.

I finally got my first car when my mom took all her tax money and savings when I was 17 years old and she bought some $600 piece of crap. But you know it was my piece of crap. I can't tell you how many more thousands went into just keeping it on the road. Trapped in the race of never being able to afford a better one because I couldn't afford to not go to work to make money to put into the crappy one.

Now I see on youtube people just getting these Chinese mini cars and trucks for a few thousand dollars (not counting all the import taxes and fees). But you know what, I would have KILLED for something like this as a kid.

Even if it was little more than a glorified enclosed gold cart that couldn't go on the highway. It would have been so much easier to our lives. There's no reason America couldn't have been building things like this for a long time. And now we're in a position where other countries took the initiative to. I don't like it at all and wish my country would have been leading the way in cheap, easy to maintain transportation. Something like this is little more than a body with a washing machine motor in it.

People love to talk shit about WEF "you will own nothing and be happy" and talk about ownership and all that shit.


But owning a car is a big ass scam, you go to a bank get a loan to adqucire and asset that is always losing value and for what to "own" a car?

In reality the bank owns the car and by the time one finished paying the car it has losts all its value and is a money sink.

So you sell it to a poor SOB to deal with those problems while you use the downpayment to get a bette model and back into debt

In reality car ownership is not true car ownership.


Meanwhile my friend in Spain is always driving new well maintained cars, i asked him if he hit it big over there and he tell me no, they are leased cars.


So he pays a subscription and he gets a car that is maintained and insured by the dealer the terms are tailore to his needs and when the contract is down he can renew it for a newer model, or if his needs change he can change into a new contract with the dealership.

He pays like half of what he would pay for a credit to own a car, sure he doesnt "owns" the car but he saves more than the value of the car would be if he bought it by the time he paid it and that doesnt includes any maintenance.

Its fucking genius if you ask me, its like paying rent but for cars but the difference is of course that cars are some of fastest deprecating assets.

So yeah fuck car ownership people can brag that their money sink is their own meanwhile they spend way more money on cars and drive older shit while my friend changes cars every year or two and always drives new, well maintained cars

 

[CatchnShoot]

I feel like all these electric cars are just just fancy bodies strapped to battery packs and 4 wheels.

Exchange the battery pack for internal combustion engine, and you have described a traditional vehicle.

 

[RoastBeast]

People love to talk shit about WEF "you will own nothing and be happy" and talk about ownership and all that shit.


But owning a car is a big ass scam, you go to a bank get a loan to adqucire and asset that is always losing value and for what to "own" a car?

In reality the bank owns the car and by the time one finished paying the car it has losts all its value and is a money sink.

So you sell it to a poor SOB to deal with those problems while you use the downpayment to get a bette model and back into debt

In reality car ownership is not true car ownership.


Meanwhile my friend in Spain is always driving new well maintained cars, i asked him if he hit it big over there and he tell me no, they are leased cars.


So he pays a subscription and he gets a car that is maintained and insured by the dealer the terms are tailore to his needs and when the contract is down he can renew it for a newer model, or if his needs change he can change into a new contract with the dealership.

He pays like half of what he would pay for a credit to own a car, sure he doesnt "owns" the car but he saves more than the value of the car would be if he bought it by the time he paid it and that doesnt includes any maintenance.

Its fucking genius if you ask me, its like paying rent but for cars but the difference is of course that cars are some of fastest deprecating assets.

So yeah fuck car ownership people can brag that their money sink is their own meanwhile they spend way more money on cars and drive older shit while my friend changes cars every year or two and always drives new, well maintained cars

Your friend is not a genius for leasing vehicles. If he thinks he's saving money, he's sadly mistaken. He will never stop making vehicle payments, ever. So yeah, for a short while he will be paying less for the same car than someone did who bought it new, but eventually the person who bought their car will have zero payments while your friend is still paying for the rest of his life.

I'm not arguing for purchasing new vehicles because that's not smart at all from a financial standpoint but purchasing a reliable older vehicle trumps leasing new vehicles any day of the week. If you're dead set on having a new vehicle every 3 years, then leasing is great but it's not smart financially because your payments never end.

 

[LeonardoBjj]

I get that but its an insufficient reason IMO. We're supposed to be a free market country and we've made cars a necessity by underinvesting in public transport and building everything around the car only to put tariffs on foreign automobiles? Everyone knows the gold standard of affordability and reliability are Toyota and Honda and yet we're making them less accessible.

If we're going to put tariffs on items it should be on luxury items or those that are not a necessity like video game consoles. Not that I'd support that either but it'd be less dumb than tariffs on cars.

- Sou they're really smart. They made cars a necessity and the public has no opition, unless they pay reallly high!

Brazil is the same thing, with the exception being Curitiba, that has good PT.

 

[SummerStriker]

I'd love a 10k car. I don't mind rolling down the windows by hand, or using a suction cup to mount my phone.

 

[LeonardoBjj]

It's not like we can't build cars for cheap too. We just don't want to because our manufacturers are all c**** who don't give one f*** about people or pollution or the environment or anything at all except profit.

It's disgusting and sickening and just makes me want to puke.

- Can you imagine wqhen the public discover that the expensive Iphones are surpassed by their Xiaomi counterparts, that are cheaper, come with a recharger, and work better?

 

[LeonardoBjj]

China’s latest EV is a ‘connected’ car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi​

BY KEN MORITSUGU
Updated 12:52 PM BRT, March 28, 2024

BEIJING (AP) — Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country’s booming but crowded market for electric cars with a sporty high-tech sedan.

The tech company began accepting orders in China via an app on Thursday night, after founder Lei Jun wrapped up a more than two-hour presentation on the SU7 car by announcing the much-awaited price range: 215,900 yuan to 299,900 yuan (about $30,000 to $40,000).

Xiaomi said that it received 50,000 orders for the SU7 in the first 27 minutes after sales opened at 10 p.m. Beijing time (1400 GMT).

Government subsides have helped make China the world’s largest market for electric vehicles, and a bevy of new makers are locked in fierce competition. Most of the industry’s sales have been domestic, but Chinese makers are pushing into overseas markets with lower-priced models, posing a potential challenge to European, Japanese and American auto companies.

Lei wasn’t bashful about that challenge, saying that Beijing-based Xiaomi aims to become one of the world’s top five automakers in the next 15 to 20 years. It’s hard to make cars, he told an audience in a live-streamed presentation at a convention center, but added that it’s cool to succeed.

The combined share of EVs and hybrids in China’s auto sales is likely to reach 42% to 45% this year, up from 36% in 2023, according to Fitch Ratings. But the agency said in a December report that the competition could put pressure on automakers’ short-term market share and profitability.



Lei said Xiaomi would lose money on the basic model at 215,900 yuan, a price that undercuts the Tesla Model 3 in China. He claimed the SU7 outperformed the Tesla in most categories, though the top-line version falls short of the Porsche Taycan.

“There’s still a long way to go for our car to become a Porsche,” he said, but that if Xiaomi keeps striving for five to 10 years, “we will eventually surpass Porsche one day.”

Known for its affordable smartphones, smart telvisions and other devices, Xiaomi aims to capitalize on that technology by connecting its cars with its phones and home appliances in what it calls a “Human x Car x Home” ecosystem.

Lei presented the SU7 as a high-performance vehicle with a long range, before highlighting its smart features, such as talking to a delivery person from the car when the doorbell rings at home. In a nod to the popularity of the iPhone, he said that the system would be compatible with Apple as well as Xiaomi phones.

Tu Le, the founder of the Sino Auto Insights consultancy, said that Xiaomi is trying to close the loop by adding transportation to a product mix already integrated into its customers’ personal and professional lives.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/01/some-chinese-automakers-show-off-concept-sportscars-amid-auto-market-slump.html

“The ability to seamlessly be a continuous part of someone’s life is the holy grail for tech companies,” he said in an emailed response. “You probably don’t know anyone in Beijing that doesn’t have at least one Xiaomi product, be it a mobile phone, computer, TV, (air) purifier, or tablet.”

As a newcomer to automaking, the company is making an educated guess that it can design and develop a car that will sell, he said. Given the sluggish Chinese economy and an ongoing EV price war, he predicted it would take a year or two to see if Xiaomi can adapt to correct any missteps and succeed.

“They are a technology company, so that’s their advantage, but they need to reconcile that with drinking through a fire hose to learn how to be a tech company that builds cars,” Le said.

CreditSights, a financial research firm, said that it expects Xiaomi’s EV division to sell 60,000 vehicles in its first year and lose money for its first two years because of high marketing and promotion costs.

Chinese automakers trying to expand abroad face political headwinds.

The European Union is investigating Chinese subsidies to determine if they give made-in-China EVs an unfair market advantage overseas. The U.S. announced an investigation last month into Chinese-made connected cars that it says could gather sensitive information about their drivers.

“China is determined to dominate the future of the auto market, including by using unfair practices,” President Joe Biden said when the U.S. investigation was announced. “China’s policies could flood our market with its vehicles, posing risks to our national security. I’m not going to let that happen on my watch.”

China pushed back this week, filing a World Trade Organization complaint that alleges that U.S. subsides for electric vehicles discriminate against Chinese products.

The U.S. Defense Department put Xiaomi on a blacklist in 2021 over alleged links to China’s military, but removed it a few months later after the company denied the links and sued the U.S. government.

https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3197783/chinese-ev-start-beyonca-seeks-change-game-mainland-luxury-car-segment-offering-unique-healthcare

https://apnews.com/article/xiaomi-electric-vehicle-ev-china-su7-13900c059ca3c530cf35ddd486328f99