I hate China as much (probably much more than, tbh) as the average person, but the amount of whinging that the West has done about them introducing actually competitive EVs to an otherwise anti-consumer market should tell you everything you need to know about how they really feel about renewable energies and EVs in general.
China has even higher barriers for foreign companies to enter their market than Chinese companies have in the EU, USA, etc.
The Chinese government protects Chinese corporations, the EU protects EU corporations. Not really “whinging”.
Yes, except China has a clear and insurmountable advantage over EU or American automakers. The only ones losing here are the consumers. For every EU tariff, there’s a dozen countries in the southern hemisphere who are clamoring for an opportunity to buy cheap, good (enough) EVs.
I think a large part of the competitive pricing comes from subsidies by the Chinese government to produce these cars, not necessarily because China’s innovated some miraculously cheap vehicle.
Granted, Western, Japanese, and Korean automakers placing emphasis on SUVs (at least in North America) certainly doesn’t make the pricing of cars (electric or ICE) any better. It’s also true that Western governments can similarly subsidize EV manufacturing, but keep in mind that a lot of hurdles that exist in the west to pull off such a task don’t exist in China—there is no opposition party that might slow down or kill legislation. Add to that the access China has gained globally via Belt and Road likely makes obtaining raw materials a lot cheaper too.
This is all to say that boiling it down to an attitude problem is a little too reductive.
West(when their billionaires hyped up EVs): EVs are the future, we need to shift fast or face the wrath of climate change. We are always at the forefront of adopting technology and sustainability unlike the savages of the rest of the world. We need to act NOW!
China: Okay, here are your EVs
West: No, not like that. Climate change can shut up and go sit in corner, while we try to make this a political theatre.
