As part of its campaign against climate change, the European Union has rolled out an ambitious energy transition policy. Ending the sale of new thermal vehicles from 2035 onwards is a major plank of that policy, the plan being to phase them out in favour of electric vehicles (EVs). European vehicle manufacturers have embarked vigorously on this conversion, but China has a head start and has been widely criticized internationally for engaging in unfair competition in this market. Like Europe, the USA is tightening its customs regime to counterbalance the Chinese vehicle-builders’ offensive, but how do things really stand with the EV market? What is the strategy of the Chinese manufacturers and Beijing’s industrial and commercial policy in that market? And is this industrial/commercial offensive genuinely troubling for European constructors? Is it not good news for ecological transition?
Antoine Le Bec looks in detail here at how China entered the EV market to meet its domestic demand and reduce its emissions, while supporting its national automotive companies, then went on to develop a dynamic export strategy. He examines the figures, putting into perspective the relatively low proportion of intercontinental trade in cars, particularly in Europe. However, he draws attention to the widening of Chinese strategy to the whole of the EV value chain (minerals, batteries etc.) and the investments made to that end, and examines the strategies adopted by non-Chinese vehicle manufacturers in response. Lastly, he suggests three possible paths of development for trade relations in the automotive sector in the years to 2035.
This article is downloadable only in French. It is not available in English.
