Rise of China Part III: Total World Dominance

A classic car connaisseur goes deep into the history of the Chinese car industry. From communist creations, to copycat cars and the rise to total world dominance. How did the Chinese auto industry develop so fast? A look at it's history might provide an answer!

This final part goes a bit deeper into to the present day and talks about the efforts and strategies the Chinese car industry has planned to slowly invade the entire world.

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Enjoy!

[MTaxiSheep]

The cars driving on Chinese roads remind me of a video game that couldn’t get any licensing from automakers, so they implement their own look alikes

[sahasmahogha]

The day automatically becomes better when Ed uploads.

[christianocampos]

I live in Paraguay, South America. We have one of the best ratio of clean energy coming from three dams that power most of the country (with a tiny pourcentage being fossil). Whilst the push for the gouvernement has been slow towards EVs and the arrival from major brands has been even slower (appart from really high end luxury cars such as Audis, BMWs and Porsches) the Chinese automaker have been really pushing affordable EVs to the market. One of the major brands, BYD, has provided most of the charging infrastructure and is helping on building an East to West charging route.

[stevangucu]

Chinese also found gap in Europe for the tractor market. People in East Europe need cheap tractor, with high power. Before that gap was filled by MTZ Belarus tractors. But they got greedy with paying extra for AC and Grammer seat, and cabin was always cramped and weird. But Belarus was dominant in cheap tractor segment.

European manufacturers are producing expensive, complicated machines to maintain and handle for average East Europe farmer.

But then in 2010s YTO and Foton Lovol came to compete with Belarus. They offered tractors based on Fiat Agri license, with larger comfortable cabin, reliable Perkins engine and simple 3 range, 4 gear synchronized gearbox. Also Grammer seat and AC were included in every tractor, it is not extra. They were at same range as Belarus and 20% cheaper than sophisticated European manufacturers.

Lovol is higher in quality, it got into the Westren market and it got positive reviews. I

In countries that don't care for Euro norms like Serbia you can buy versions with no turbo, and people like that since it is easier to maintain. In Ukraine and Russia I saw models with turbo, electric injection and smaller displacement for the same power range.

[ltribley]

As a Sinologist, I’ve been involved in China related issues and initiatives for over 25 years and have watched the development of all sorts of motorized vehicles.

During my last trip to China, pre-COVID and walking thru residential communities, it was unique to see families EV's parked outside their homes or apartments with charging cables running to them for charging across driveways, sidewalks into parking lots. Extension cords for their scooters and motorcycles.

For scooters and motorcycles some residential communities have drive-up charging stations.

Unlike the West where EV's are typically priced out of reach of the average family, and the models that are available are not particularly family friendly or practical, China is just the opposite.

There are EV models available for almost every family income in almost every styling flavor. And the quality and designs are quite good and refreshing and innovative in many instances, no longer copies of the past.

There are some US states phasing out combustion cars in 2035 but yet there are no viable and affordable EV's for the “masses”. No standardized EV charging infrastructure across the US. There is nothing that supports the success of the 2035 EV mandates. Just political “claptrap”.

Tax incentives require EV's to have X% US made. I believe even Tesla does not qualify. And the best battery technology is coming out of China.

The energy crisis in the UK, EU, and mounting in the US now finds the cost of electricity too expensive no longer making EV's cost effective to operate. And in the US add climate change and we have California asking people not to drive their EV's, Tesla's due to severe energy shortages!

Geopolitics will influence China's ability to import cars and EV's into the US.

US, UK, EU censors everything good about China and prejudices peoples views on the country and its people tantamount to pushing an inferior society vs Western superiority when in fact China is leaps ahead in a variety of technologies and fields, including applying for the greatest number of patents annually and graduating the largest number of engineers and scientists of any country. 6G is around the corner and they lead in artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and the first cashless society. You don’t know what you're missing out on.

But what we don’t understand is that we need China to maintain our economy, but increasingly China does not need us. They are quite happy working with the Global South countries making up around 90% of the worlds population and most of the worlds production capabilities with their Belt and Road Initiatives.

One example. Who is the largest manufacturer of smart phones in the world? Samsung or Apple? No it’s Xiaomi with little presence in the US for fear of sanctions but a “go to” in the rest of the world and they’re every bit as good as Samsung and Apple.

Like almost everything in China, they make a plan, set goals and objectives and go out and do it.

[novoknw]

As a Chinese, I really believe that you've made a thorough review on the EV cars that Chinese carmakers brought overseas. However, even us Chinese sometimes reckon that carmakers like the Great Walls are disgusting nowadays by still copying styles from for example VW Beetle. And some other EV brands are financially unsustainable. For Westerners who want to know more about the Chinese EV cars in your country, it's really better to see the performance of these brands domestically. For now, as for new startups, only carmakers like Nio, Xpeng, Li are delivering enough vehicles to prove their abilities...

[jeffstreck]

Cool shit happens when people learn other languages. I'm an English speaker. I know some bloody obscure words and I'm well-read. However... Ed is the only reason I know the word, "malaise." Love you Ed and love the content.

[Real_British]

Ah yes..from my observations on Indonesia, these chinese brands took others by storm, one particularly "Wuling" with their cheap price yet has a lot of features compared to existing Japanese car makers

[jc]

I have visited China and being there you can see that the Chinese are going to eat the US for lunch. I don’t understand how the big 3 US car companies just keep their heads in the sand moving so slowly. The Vietnamese are going to build beautiful electric SUB vehicles in North Carolina that will also be $10k below the competition in just a few years.
Thanks Ed for another terrific series. Keep up the great work.

[xBiscuit]

In Middle East Chinese cars are everywhere now. They just suddenly appear in the last 5 years with very cheap prices for what you get.

[deadfishparty]

Your final statement is a perfect summary. No one took the Japanese seriously and they walloped North America. Then no one took Korea seriously and they walloped the world. I remember when buying a Kia meant you were is desperate need of transportation but didn’t want to buy used. Now I think they make some of the best looking, well thought out vehicles on the road the average consumer can afford. I bought the previous 4th gen Sportage based on it’s looks and comfort. Never did I think I would see the day. China will be a success. Just look at the iphone in your hand.

[Michka]

My father bought a Great Wall V200 (diesel steed or wingle) over here in Australia years ago.. Just about to hit 200, 000 Ks, hardly ever gets serviced and although is usually driven lightly, it gets abused.. All I can say is considering it's life, it's ridiculously reliable. My partner bought a Joilion early this year and apart from the tech on it being trash, so far it's doing better than the current competition.. (My other half does roughly 100, 000 per year)

[barron]

I’m interested to see what will happen to the top Euro car makers vs the top China car makers in the future.

[JK]

Not only Chinese brands are expanding abroad but more and more Western manufacturers are moving their production to China (see Citroën C5 X, Smart #1, electric Minis). I'm afraid this won't end well

[thegeek]

You should take a look at the Cord cars from the 30s, long, luxury, FWD, and sometimes supercharged! Very interesting and not very well know in the modern day

[frankneser]

I'm an expat living in Egypt, not an EV-friendly country but price semsitive. Chinese ICE cars are already everywhere, brands appear and disappear. Brilliance, FAW, Geely, Maple, Zotye, Chery, DFSK, Great Wall, Hafei, Haval and many more had their time. BYD sold a big number of F3, a Corolla-lookalike with reasonable quality. Today MGs are top sellers of the season, MG 5 is a hit. Some one-hit-wonder-brands having a comeback with better cars or with a new brand name. Chinese are here to stay; cars are getting better and still 30% cheaper than competition.

[gpalmerify]

Loved this series. My IT experience with the Chinese has been mostly keeping them out of our networks. I imagine the costs of R&D are wonderfully low if you simply take it from companies who invest in it. I hope the innovators for EVs realize the world needs to refine infrastructure before flipping a switch to convert to rechargeable cars. Personally don't buy the eco-panic that seems to rush everything.

[MegaHolymoly]

You deserve so many more subs and views! Love your input on history and cars both of my favorite subjects.

[AETRD]

The actual dozens, dozens of older generation people I come across, that aren't racist by their own account, but loudly and proudly exclaim they "don't trust the Chinese and would never buy a Chinese car" - while Driving a 2021 MG Crossover because "that's a good British car with good British Values" that have no clue of the Current MG parentage or owners boggles my mind

It is quite a giggle Watching them silently boil with rage when you explain to them just how deeply they bought into the very Chinese they seemingly don't trust

[nunocspinto]

This was an incredible series. Preety interesting. Just an add-up: Cabo Verde is filled with Chinese brands we don't even know in Europe. Just this. They are here.