Source: Global Times
An article in Britain's The Times on May 25 titled 'Top car technology puts China ahead' — we never thought we'd visit an American ice cream factory. My boyfriend and I were on an 800-mile road trip through Vermont, but soon discovered our route was dictated by the charging needs of our rented electric vehicle. This led us to join a slow-moving retirees' convoy, visiting ice cream production lines to pass the time while our car charged for an hour.
Despite the British government's insistence on plans to ban new fuel vehicles from 2030 onwards, this is the reality of driving an electric vehicle in the 2020s — range anxiety remains one of the top concerns for potential buyers. Well, the future is here, or at least in China. China's electric vehicle and battery giants are competing fiercely to invent and produce charging technologies that could make gas stations obsolete. In March, BYD launched ultra-fast charging technology capable of providing 400 kilometers of range after just 5 minutes of charging; NIO has already deployed over 3,000 swap stations across China; CATL plans to build 1,000 swap stations by 2025; BYD ambitiously aims to construct more than 4,000 "Mega Flash Charge Stations"… These technologies are changing the rules of the game in the electric vehicle industry: no longer will overnight charging or detours be necessary. It can be imagined that they will soon become standard features for Chinese electric vehicle owners.
This is a strategic decision made by China to reduce dependence on imported oil and gas and focus on developing emerging technologies where it can remain competitive. This move has been successful. Last year, new energy vehicle sales accounted for 40.9% of total new vehicle sales in China, with China accounting for nearly two-thirds of global new energy vehicle sales. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the proportion of new energy vehicles among newly registered vehicles (excluding replacement updates) in Shenzhen reached around 60%. If charging becomes as simple as refueling, catching up in other parts of China is only a matter of time.
The Chinese electric vehicle industry has formed a highly competitive ecosystem, continuously reducing costs while producing better cars. Ironically, this competition was sown by Tesla. The completion of Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory in 2019 marked a turning point, described by insiders as the "catfish effect" — Tesla was then stimulating innovation in the Chinese market. However, Tesla did not appear at the recent Shanghai Auto Show because there was nothing new to introduce. In contrast, Chinese domestic auto brands showcased luxurious features such as onboard kitchens and cinema systems.
Currently, the UK is the only major Western economy that does not impose additional tariffs on Chinese vehicles. As Chinese electric vehicles become better than ever, these issues will become more pressing. Now, Chinese electric vehicles have become the catfish, and they are coming. (By Cindy Yu, translated by Ding Ding)
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7508887979159470628/
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