The Growing Threat of Cheap Chinese EVs in the US Market

No American car buyer today can purchase a Chinese brand’s electric vehicle. And no one is really sure when these EVs will arrive on US shores. But the prospect of cheap Chinese-made EVs is already causing sleepless nights in Detroit. The primary threat comes from BYD Co.’s Seagull hatchback, featuring angular styling, a two-tone dashboard shaped like a seagull’s wing, six airbags, and a 10-inch rotating touchscreen for its infotainment system. The most extraordinary feature is its $9,698 price tag, undercutting the average price of an American EV by more than $50,000. BYD's aggressive pricing, surpassing Tesla to become the world’s largest producer of electric vehicles, signals a shift for US makers towards more reasonably priced EVs for the Everyman.