cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/38397088
I think that the real fear is that the US would loose that manufacturing capability. Cars, and the technology/factories, to produce them are a pillar for both the US economy and military. Loosing that capability would be problematic for the US.
But what have legacy manufacturers done to keep that manufacturing capability? They have a long history of refusing to even consider EVs. They finally started after startups proved the technology and market, the government invested billions into the effort, but at the first hint of problems pulled back. Now we have the us government pushing around billions of dollars of protectionist cushion, liberally sprinkled with incentives in every direction, yet legacy automakers still can’t get serious about EVs.
I just know my brother works for a legacy automaker and completely buys the company line: EVs are unproven technology that no one wants or needs, and manufacturers can’t profit from. He’s happy they spent so much of their EV manufacturing incentives on flexible product lines so they can say they’re able to make EVs while going back to their traditional products
This is your chance: free money to build out EV manufacturing, protection from competition, market incentives to help with pricing, efficiency mandate whipping up a frenzy. You have a couple years to get your shit together and here comes Chinese companies to eat your lunch…… WHY DOES IT SEEM LIKE YOURE NOT EVEN TRYING
Like every other factory they’ve already pushed to cheap Chinese labour?
The only difference now is the label says “made and designed in China” instead of the good ol patriotic “designed in California made in china”
Electronics yeah, but I think most vehicles are made/assembled in Nothern America. https://allamerican.org/research/auto-manufacturing-report/ that’s a more complicated look, but does show that US cars are not predominantly Chinese (at least right now).
