Electric cars are the talk of the town at the moment, with automated vehicles following closely behind. It seems as though every manufacturer on the planet wants to bring out the biggest and brightest electric car, but there is one country who is dominating more than any other. China.
Taking Over
As of April 2018, Chinese car manufacturers accounted for around 37% of all electric cars sold in the world, and a whopping 99% of their e-buses. Both Europe and North America have been trailing behind, with less than a quarter of all electric cars sold each. With growth like this, it’s estimated that China could account for nearly half of all electric cars sold in the next couple of years.
Chinese Government
The surge in electric vehicles in China has nothing to do with market economics, however, and has everything to do with the Chinese government. For the last decade, the government has been pouring money into the electric car market. Generous subsidiaries and tax incentives have been offered to both the manufacturers and drivers, and there have been restrictions put in place on the sale and use of any car that isn’t electric. The Chinese government have also been working on creating an electric car charging infrastructure that makes it easier than ever to own an EV.
Daily Lives
With all of the money and hard work the Chinese government has been putting into electric cars, it comes as no surprise to learn that EVs have become part of daily life in the country. Shenzhen, for example, is the only city in the world that runs solely on electric buses. However, North America is hot on the heels of China, particularly as it’s home to Tesla – one of the biggest electric car manufacturers in the world.
In the battle for electric vehicle dominance, it seems as though China is leading the way right now. However, will all of that change as Tesla keeps working on bigger and better models? Only time will tell.