Cheap Chinese EVs come at a high cost – by Flavio Volpe (Financial Post – June 21, 2024)

https://financialpost.com/

Opinion: Ottawa has yet to respond to the threat posed by Beijing and the clock is ticking

Ask yourself this: “Why are they so cheap? Does it make sense?” That is what I have said to everyone who has asked me about Chinese electric cars lately and the questions usually stump my audience. A lot of ink has been spilled over the promise of good quality, cheap Chinese cars, with most of the opinions being of the “bring ’em on” variety.

At a time when the cost of money is still high and inflationary pressures are just coming off a generational peak, every penny counts. The idea that you could get a car like the electric BYD Seagull for less than the cost of a Honda Civic seems compelling on the surface.

Countries and companies, after all, have been falling over each other in the race electrify, part of a keeping-up-with-the-Joneses craze. The public, too, is more conscious than ever of the benefits of a smaller carbon footprint and understands that one’s choice of car may be an effective way to get there.

For the rest of this column: https://financialpost.com/transportation/autos/flavio-volpe-cheap-chinese-evs-high-cost