Stocks A to Z / Stocks B / Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)
No. of Recommendations: 7
https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/5589471-us-...By 2015, China had already surpassed the United States in domestic battery electric vehicle sales. Although many of these were Teslas, China’s early adoption signaled where the industry was heading.
That same year, Beijing launched “Made in China 2025,” an industrial policy to accelerate advanced manufacturing capabilities and reduce foreign dependence. But China’s leaders had identified “new energy vehicles” as a strategic sector long before that — as early as 2006 — and followed up with a National Energy-Saving and New Energy Vehicle Development Plan in 2012. When “Made in China 2025” elevated electric vehicles as a national priority, the industry exploded.
Meanwhile, the U.S. took a wrong turn. Instead of focusing on the electric vehicle as a breakthrough technology, Washington framed it as an environmental issue — one that remains politically divisive.
American policy solutions suffered as a result
incentives aimed to change consumer behavior, not to strengthen American manufacturing. That narrow framing had global consequences. While we debated environmental incentives, China was building the foundations of a new industrial order. Today, the world’s leading electric vehicle producers are increasingly Chinese.
Losing the electric vehicle race means losing leverage over critical technology standards, supply chains and industrial jobs. This isn’t just about automakers; it’s about national power and the future of our tech ecosystem.
In China, electric vehicles are now at the center of innovation. Companies are integrating augmented reality entertainment systems, artificial intelligence-assisted driving, and even rooftop drone installations, alongside advances in fast charging and battery design. Beijing is now rolling out its intelligent connected vehicle strategy that integrates vehicles with roads and cloud systems through AI-driven networks. If China exports this ecosystem globally, non-connected U.S. and allied vehicles risk being locked out of future markets.China thought long term while the USA fiddled around Scr*wing the Pooch.
https://www.carscoops.com/2025/11/global-ev-sales-...EV SALES 2005 YTD (JAN-OCT) VS 2024 YTDGlobal: 16.5 million, +23%
China: 10.3 million, +22%
Europe: 3.4 million, +32%
North America: 1.6 million, +4%
Rest of World: 1.3 million, +48%
https://cleantechnica.com/2025/10/30/china-omits-m...China has just announced its latest 5-year plan, and according to Reuters,* it makes no mention of new energy vehicles, which everyone assumes means direct financial support for zero-emissions vehicles will be coming to an end shortly. It does not mean, however, that China will stop supporting higher education or protecting its supply chain dominance.*
Electrive says the omission of NEVs marks a shift towards market-driven growth, according to industry analysts. NEVs were listed as strategic industries in the last three 5-year plans, which unlocked billions in subsidies that supported both automakers and consumers and bolstered the fortunes of BYD and CATL. Now China apparently has decided its car industry can stand on its own two feet.China:"We own the EV market space. We don't need no stinking subsidies!"
No. of Recommendations: 4
When I've wandered through China's major cities I was amazed at the transformation to battery=powered vehicles. This included every two wheeled motor scooter I saw - including retrofitting to old egg-beaters which were originally gasoline-powered.
This abandonment of "the next technology" by the US is nothing new. The fax machine was invented in the US, but popularized in Japan.
Japanese companies which specialized in small gears and things developed the consumer dot-matrix printer (modeled after the US Centronics original). Both Citizen and Seiko (who sells printers under the Epson name) were originally wrist watch companies and Brother made sewing machines.
The Yoshika camera knocked off the Rolleiflex and SLR's from Nikon, Canon, Minolta, etc. forced Kodak to retreat from the camera business and stick to film. Those camera manufacturers morphed into photocopy manufactures and then developed into laser printer companies commercially producing the prototype idea originally invented by Xerox at Parc. Xerox now sells color laser printers manufactured by Okidata, a Japanese printer manufacturer.
Jeff
No. of Recommendations: 0
This abandonment of "the next technology" by the US is nothing new.
My first thought runs toward ossified management, that doesn't want to come in off the golf course, and change it's way of thinking:
item: the pump seal company, that, in 1980, was still clinging to it's 1940 design, when the competition produced seals that required less material, and less machining.
item: Radio Shack, that clung to it's 1960s business model designed to compete with mom and pop independent TV and appliance stores, after the "fair trade" laws had been repealed and the competition was big box discounters that made a profit on half the GP that RS needed.
item: I remember reading how Edwards Deming gave up on trying to interest US companies in statistical quality control, and took his concepts to Japan.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 13
I am in Guatemala right now. I saw one American built truck and a bunch of American built used Buses. (Chicken Buses)
The real transportation is motorcycles and Took Took’s. India has the old three wheeled Took Took space, China has the nee four wheeled Took Took space and over half maybe 3/4 of the motorcycle market. The USA has none.
China has large dealer networks for motorcycles and one electric motorcycle dealer so far. The best I can tell, Guatemala has a pretty decent electrical grid, we have seen no power outages in two weeks, and from conversations the electricity prices are about 12 cents a kilowatt hour. Gas is about 3.50 a gallon. I think this market is prime for Chinese electric motorcycles and scooters and 4 wheel took tooks. In the mountain villages the 3 wheel took tooks work better do to the crowed streets.
I am thinking the market for Chinese EV’s in he global south has not even started to be tapped, and I think, even at 12 cents a kilowatt hour the Chinese solar plus storage systems will find a market.
We live in interesting times.
And. . .
The weather around Lake Atitlan is perfect.
Cheers
Qazulight
No. of Recommendations: 3
I remember swimming in Atitlan as a kid, it was very cold. No beach, it was boulder rocks. Then later we went up the mountain to Chichicastenango. It was great. I was fascinated by the Mayans, they were intelligent and understood things without language. I was impressed.
No. of Recommendations: 9
I am thinking the market for Chinese EV’s in he global south has not even started to be tapped,
We were in Costa Rica this past summer and I was surprised by the number of Chinese EVs we saw in the larger cities like San Jose. I took my first ride in a BYD during the trip for one of our many Ubers. It seemed like a fine car and the driver said he liked it a lot and the charging was much cheaper compared to gas. The driver claimed the Costa Rican government had only allowed Chinese vehicles to be imported for two years now and they are dominating the market. Based on what I saw around San Jose I wouldn't be surprised if they are at least 10% of new car sales there already. We saw minimal US made vehicles but still saw a fair bit of US heavy equipment.
