from Hacker News

Biden announces 100% tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles

by Heidaradar on 5/14/24, 12:53 PM with 10 comments

  • by WarOnPrivacy on 5/14/24, 1:42 PM

    Compared to my parents, we're paying double for new vehicles (inf adj).

    https://www.thedrive.com/news/34333/heres-how-much-the-ford-...

    This household lives in a 4-income economy. At modern price-points: Our used vehicles would be worn to the rims before we could save for and purchase a new vehicle outright.

  • by taylodl on 5/14/24, 1:03 PM

    It's so difficult to create a free, and fair market spanning multiple governability zones. While this tariff may be the correct move at this point in time, it's also all too easy to put the thumb on the scale to help your own domestic market. Even so, this appears to be even keel stewardship.

  • by analyst74 on 5/14/24, 2:45 PM

    US car manufacturers other than Tesla have not been very successful at producing EVs despite subsidies. It'll be interesting to see how this affects future policy making. Will there be subsidies to protect legacy US automakers? Does that mean gas cars are here to stay?

  • by bouncing on 5/14/24, 1:07 PM

    So the components are all imported from China, then assembled in Mexico. Maybe that's an improvement, and it keeps Chinese brands from establishing themselves, but does it really matter?

  • by thelastgallon on 5/14/24, 1:13 PM

    Its ridiculous for western governments to make the argument China subsidizes EVs, hence tariffs. BYD's exports sell for twice the China price[1]. Legacy US/European car manufacturers are simply uncompetitive, living on govt protection, welfare and bailouts. Ford loses 100K on every EV[2], BYD makes cars dirt cheap and is profitable in China, insanely profitable when it exports. China lets car companies compete and evolve, with the understanding that a lot will fail, but the best ones survive.

    [1] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/why-by..., [1] Paywalled: https://archive.is/xrvWI

    [2] https://insideevs.com/news/719453/ford-ev-losses-q1-2024-bat...