The gloves have come off, the US automakers have to go in deep on electrics

At a recent meeting between Red China and the US in Alaska, the Chinese used the phrase "the gloves have come off" and it's getting closer to revealing the long range aspirations of each country vis-a-vs the other.
I am only a car writer so can't speak to the human rights issues, but in the car market I would say that it's becoming apparent that
1)the world car market is going electric
and
2.)the country that makes the most electric cars that are "world acceptable" will dominate the world car market.
Note the problem in the US with the US stepping up to the challenge is that the public in the US hasn't been that welcoming to electrics. I have heard figures as low as electrics being as low as 2% of the market and as high as 4% but in China it's at least double digits.
And they have at least ten different electric car companies.
And among automakers in China are two to American companies, Buick and Tesla.
I think while the labor rate in China is undeniably attractive (no union strikes there!) this situation could come to a head if and when an American President forbids Chinese-made cars to be sold in the US. This might happen as "punishment" for some act like China invading Taiwan, or some other military move.
Certainly that will crimp Chinese automakers' plans for dominating the U.S. car market but not in the rest of the world. They can and will make electric cars in every price range where American car companies are going slow in electric car development and going high(an electric Hummer will start at close to $100,000).
Being an American raised in a family where the breadwinner worked on the line at Ford in the River Rouge, I hate to see a world a few years from now where America is regarded as a "quaint"place to visit ("Look, ma, they're still driving internal combustion cars") even though ironically every week I treasure having coffee outside in a small town (Claremont, CA) that has been "curated" by keeping the old buildings,and not allowing chain restaurants Iike McDonalds . I like going there, stepping back into the Time Machine as it were, but don't want our country to be a place where the whole world thinks we live in the past.
What's the solution? For Americans to embrace electric cars more, American built ones, and for American automakers to make models that will be appealing to Eiropeans ,Asians and South Americans that will compete with Chinese made electric cars in the world marketplace,.
To raise desirability of electric cars the infrastructure will have to be pumped, like putting electric chargers at every gas station, at every college, high school and business, and hospital and military installation.Like demanding every new house have a charger, Like letting electric car owners park free, like letting electric car owners park in the first few rows at every shopping center. In short, treating them as the brave souls they are by backing the new technology with their car purchase decision.
Hey I love internal combustion engines,but I can see, now now that the gloves have come off, it's a case of survival in the world market. We don't go electric, we're history...
They will eat our lunch....

 

I tend to agree. The generation that's coming up is much more acceptable to EV's than the current. Charging infrastructure in the US is starting to take shape as utilities become more aggressive in their buildout. Once that's in place, acceptance will grow.

Electric cars will more than suffice for the average driver as battery technology and range increases.

The experts believe Volkswagon is on track to aggressively dominate the EV market.

I have three EV's, a BMW, Fiat and Chevrolet.

Chevrolet is practically giving away the Bolt to try and capture the market in the US.

So far, I can't find a reason not to like them. They're quiet, quick and efficient.

 

Yet, in Wisconsin there are <1500 EVs.
1) It's cold for a few months a year.
2) You can only recharge if you use 4 lanes, mostly.

 

Batteries work great when it's cold.


No wait. The opposite! I hope you live close to work...

 

I don't understand what that means.

The Chevy Bolt gets around 150 miles in extreme cold. More than enough for most commutes.

 

Ah ok. Regardless, I'll stick with petrol thanks.

 

Don't get me wrong!

I have no intention of getting rid of my Ferrari or Maserati!

 

I fully understand EV's as a means of transport, daily driver and nothing more than that. To not have to fill up a car at a petrol station is a big plus IMO. But as a toy? No thanks. They'll never get the emotion a ICE gets. Once you get over the (very impressive) acceleration they're quite stale IMO.

 

VERY impractical in most of the US as it is too rural

 

That means if you don't travel on Interstate highways, there are no places to 'refuel'. Mostly.

 

I live in rural Alabama and there are EV chargers every 20-30 miles.

A lot of towns here are installing them and they're free to use.

Walmart is also adding chargers.

 

I'd get an electric wake boat. Nautique makes one, but the price is 2x the gasoline powered one ($300k vs $150k) and use time is like 2-3 hours or something. It's awesome to not have to pull the boat out of the water to get serviced every 50 hours and it's a lot quieter so you can enjoy going at speed rather than yelling at one another.

Electric cars, though, don't really interest me as much. I no longer have a daily commute so it's not necessary. If they can come with 500+ mile ranges and fast charging at home I'd maybe consider it.