On one hand allowing obviously superior and cheaper Chinese EVs into the states at MSRP would obliterate the automakers which are one of the last bastions of organized labor. On the other hand getting cheap EVs into people’s hands is the outer limit of viable climate change action in this treat demon settler country.
EVs aren’t a viable way to address climate change; overall primary energy use needs to decrease and EVs are still a very, very energy-intensive form of transportation. Organized labor will be a necessary component of any attempt to address climate change beyond offering people better treats.
It is however ridiculous because the dems have created a system where only affluent people can afford EVs; they’ll pat them on the back and assure them they did their part to save the planet. Now if only the poors trundling along in their aged gasmobiles could get their shit together.
What is less excusable to me is the concerted attempt to prevent Chinese car companies from building their own plants on US soil, like many other foreign automakers do. Even the proposed BYD plant in Mexico has them freaking out and I wouldn’t put it past the US to use terror attacks to prevent that plant from getting up and running. To me that indicates this is less about protecting jobs than it is about protecting industry profits.