Electric Cars: A New Chinese Threat to America!

After major European car manufacturers expressed deep concern a few months ago about the competitive threat posed by Chinese electric vehicle makers, the current worry is stemming from the United States. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm warned that China might flood the U.S. electric vehicle market with low-cost offerings, following similar concerns raised by President Joe Biden weeks prior. The White House has gone further than just the "dumping issue," noting that the U.S. is investigating whether imports of Chinese cars pose national security risks, as they could gather sensitive data about American citizens and U.S. infrastructure and send it to China. According to data from the Chinese Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China exported nearly 5 million cars in 2023, surpassing Japan to become the world's leading car exporter last year, thanks to its fleet of electric vehicle manufacturers. The U.S. Energy Secretary made her comments during a discussion at an Axios event, stating, "We are extremely concerned about China's takeover of the automobile industry in the United States, even as we are now building this amazing backbone of manufacturing. We’ve seen this happen in the solar energy industry... there was a flood in the market." She added, "China is investing massive amounts to promote this, so we need to understand that it’s important for people to buy electric vehicles affordably, but we can do that and keep our country safe."