China’s EV dominance: What it means for Asia - Asia Specific podcast, BBC World Service

n China, more than half of all new cars sold are now electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids. But across the rest of Asia, the shift is much slower, in part due to a lack of charging infrastructure. Will high oil prices due to the war in Iran be the catalyst to change that? Chinese carmakers are rapidly expanding into Southeast Asia, setting up factories, and challenging long-established Japanese and Korean manufacturers. But a rush in South East Asia to attract Chinese investment and technology is being offset by growing concerns that cheaper Chinese models are flooding markets. Even US giant Tesla is hugely reliant on China for its business. So can carmakers compete with China’s EV manufacturing might? On this episode of Asia Specific, host Mariko Oi is joined by Hannah Miao, China economy reporter at the Wall Street Journal, and Theo Leggett, the BBC’s Transport Correspondent, to unpack the global EV race. 00:00 Introduction 01:08 Is China economically benefiting from the war in Iran? 01:58 Where does China stand in the EV industry today? 02:45 Could rising petrol prices be a turning point for EV adoption? 03:50 How environmentally friendly are EVs? 05:38 Is China emerging as a major player in building EV factories in Southeast Asia? 07:00 How strong is the demand for EVs in Southeast Asia? 08:15 How are government policies affecting Chinese EV factory expansion? 09:00 What did China do to become a global leader in EVs? 11:43 Are Chinese government subsidies making EVs unfairly cheap? 13:01 How does China respond to accusations of unfair advantages? 14:04 Can other countries compete with Chinese EV manufacturers? 17:20 What does China’s EV growth mean for consumers? 18:55 What happens to the EV industry if oil prices fall after the war? #BBCWorldService #WorldService #electricvehicle #china