MIT Technology Review: Electric-Car Industry

China did not need to master traditional auto manufacturing to dominate the electric-vehicle industry. China has lined up policies to ensure its dominance – for example, obtaining licenses is much easier for those with electric vehicles. The Chinese government “made electric vehicles one of the 10 pillars of Made in China 2025 – a state-led plan for the country to become a global leader in high-tech industries – and enacted policies to generate demand,” reports Jordyn Dahl for MIT Technology Review. “Since 2013, almost 500 electric-vehicle companies have launched in China to meet the government’s mandate and to cash in on subsidies designed to generate supply.” The country has three times the number of battery plants as the rest of the world combined and five of the top ten electric-vehicle companies in the world. As a result, automakers based in the United States, Japan and Europe must adjust strategies to compete on vehicles that are clean and consume less energy. – YaleGlobal