BYD overtook Tesla as the world’s top seller of electric vehicles (EV) at the end of last year, crowning an extraordinary rise for the Chinese carmaker.

It delivered more fully electric cars than Tesla for the first time in the three-month period to December 31, and slashed the sales lead held by Elon Musk’s company over the year as a whole.

So how did a little-known Chinese battery maker grow so quickly to become Tesla’s biggest rival?

  • @Earthwormjim91
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    1011 months ago

    Sure but after WWII, we became close allies with Japan. We have been close allies with South Korea since the Korean War. And after Vietnam we have become relatively close with Vietnam.

    China is a direct political and economic enemy to the United States. We won’t see a Chinese car brand in the US for at least several decades.

    • partial_accumen
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      511 months ago

      We won’t see a Chinese car brand in the US for at least several decades.

      You’re aware that Volvo and Polestar are both own by Chinese auto giant 吉利 (Geely)?

      • @Kanzar
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        611 months ago

        MG is owned by a Chinese company too, right?

      • @Earthwormjim91
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        411 months ago

        Ok I’m not talking about a holding company. Volvo is still produced in Sweden and the US for US market cars. Their automotive company is still headquartered in Sweden.

        BYD is not. They’re produced in China, under a Chinese brand name.

        • partial_accumen
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          211 months ago

          May I ask the details of your working definition of a “Chinese car”?

          The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus is manufactured in Changan Hangzhou assembly plant in China for sale in the USA. Is this not a Chinese car by your definition because its a Lincoln badge? source

          The 2024 Buick Envision is manufactured at a GM assembly plant in Shanghai, China. Is this not a Chinese car by your definition because its a Buick badge on the vehicle? source

          If nothing else, this should probably meet the definition :

          The Polestar 2 (which company owned by Geely) is manufactured in Luqiao CMA Super Factory in Luqiao, Zhejiang, China and imported into the USA. source Or does it fail it because the corporate offices for Polestar are in Gothenburg, Sweden?