China's drive to dominate the electric car industry

Thanks, that was a decent read.

I have to consider though. How important is car production in the USA? Does it really matter that much where they're made, if they're useful and safe? I would feel different if there were a lot of people near me making their living in car manufacturing, but there really aren't any. There are plenty of people near me involved in selling, storing, repairing, cleaning, and insuring cars and involved in making and distributing electricity.

 

China wants to dominate everything, and we’re only fooling ourselves if we think we can compete on an slanted playing field

 

Wait until Tesla finishes setting up over there, and they steal all the secrets

 

Much of what Tesla knows is already open to all.

 

I guess, I will not likely to purchase any cars by big 3, so my take is that as long as there is no surveillance camera hidden, I will buy cheap Chinese EV anytime. That is if they get here cheap, which I doubt.

 

It's a little like the off-shore wind argument here on the East Coast.
Virginia does not really need it, but the argument goes that any delay and we will fall hopelessly behind the leadership of the other states, and we cannot allow that to happen becuase we want to claim the jobs and profit of that industry to Virginia. But that's a little crazy justification. Sometimes procrastination is not a bad thing. Meanwhile alls we have is a few turbines close to shore in RI, which is not the same cost we are talking about in the 30-mi off-shore.

 

And then, after then have Tesla build out their supercharger network, they’ll open it to their own companies

 

Meh, look at high def TV. Adoption didn't really take off until they were cheaper than standard def TVs.

Eventually that day will come for EVs. I doubt there will be any worthwhile options when I do my next planned car replacement in 3 years. But I think it's very likely to have occurred before the next-after comes up in 2026.

 

I hope you’re right, I’m thinking more like 2036

 

Two links that may clarify EVs in China and elsewhere:

EV-Volumes - The Electric Vehicle World Sales Database

Tesla Sales By Country - 1redDrop

 

I'm tentatively scheduled to spend a few weeks in Shanghai this summer, really curious to see what's actually on the roads there.

 

motorized rickshaws

 

Rickshaws are still in service in Macao and elsewhere where tourists might be amused:

Rickshaws in the United States - Wikipedia

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Have not spent much time in Shanghai. This looks helpful:
Shanghai - Wikitravel

There are many websites suggesting particular tourist attractions. Depends what you might be looking for.

Few taxi drivers speak English anywhere in China (if they did they'd get better jobs). Good idea to get a business card or some other form of directions (in Chinese) from hotel before one goes wandering. Then you can return 'home' by taxi.

Weeks would be long enough to learn how to use bus system. Electric outlets are not all compatible with your gadget chargers etc. Nobody goes out without a packet of tissues in their pocket (shrug). Hotels will always want to make a photocopy of your passport.

Hotel chains whose names you recognize will be expensive. Maybe just start with a few days' reservation at one you know and use first few days to look for something more reasonable. Below the top tier, posted rates are fictional. Smile and make a lower offer. Summer is not high tourist season so you may be amazed what you can get a way with

PITA, but very useful if you can learn how to count in Chinese.

With free time I would certainly go to:

Zhujiajiao Water Town – Best Preserved Ancient Town in Shanghai

 

How about "sedan chairs?" Seen any lately?

 

My concept of sedan chair is for transporting bride to wedding, but not seen in that way.

In a 'tourist' cave where exit was ~100 meter higher, they were offered, may have been 200 yuan. I let that offer pass.

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I'll likely regret messing with this thread. EVs in China and globally are much more interesting.

 

Thanks for the tips! Although this will be my first visit to China it sounds like mostly the same bag of tricks that have gotten me through a dozen other cities around the world. It's a work trip, and if it goes anything like last years' event I won't have any choice in the hotel booking and I'll be so busy that I'll be doing most of my tourism via food delivery service. That said we are campaigning to build in an extra day just to see stuff.