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Has China already won the EV race?
If carmakers believe the auto transition must happen at some point, delaying simply puts them further behind.
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The rise of Chinese cars in China is already claiming victims abroad.
PHOTO: AFP
Robin Harding
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The expressway from Shenzhen to Dongguan and Guangzhou, through one of China’s industrial heartlands, boasts almost every vehicle the global market has to offer. Toyota sedans weave aggressively between industrial tankers; sleek Maybachs and Mercedes-Benzes ferry executives; Teslas silently demand attention; and global staples like the Volkswagen Golf chug along, minding their own business.
But they are only half the fleet. Every second car seems to have an unfamiliar nameplate, funky headlights and a whining electric motor. These are the new Chinese automobiles. They are taking over their domestic market. Soon, they will take over the world.
