China’s EV market is going global. Can U.S., Canada balance protectionism with reducing emissions?

Sales staff stand near the Seagull electric vehicle from Chinese automaker BYD at a showroom in Beijing, Wednesday, April 10, 2024. The tiny, low-priced electric vehicle called the Seagull has American automakers and politicians trembling. The car, launched last year by Chinese automaker BYD, sells for around $  12,000 in China. But it drives well and is put together with craftsmanship that rivals U.S.-made electric vehicles that cost three times as much. Tariffs on imported Chinese vehicles probably will keep the Seagull away from America’s shores for now.

China’s electric vehicle industry is poised to dominate the globe and that has governments in Europe and North America, including Canada, grappling with what can be seen as competing priorities — protect domestic manufacturing by imposing tariffs on Chinese-made EVs or focus on reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

CBC | World News

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