Car Wars (Part 2) – Electric Vehicles, China and the EU

As the competition between the US and China over electric vehicles ramps up, the pressure has mounted on the EU to agree its own approach to the issue of Chinese EVs. While there are widespread concerns about the impact of Chinese EV imports and calls for the EU to protect its auto industry, others argue that the availability of affordable Chinese EVs and “green tech” more generally can help accelerate Europe’s own transition. This critical policy debate is taking place against a backdrop of concern about the global impact of Chinese industrial over-capacity.

Why is the EU concerned and is it right to be? How might the EV issue affect broader EU-China trade relations and what are its implications for EU-US trade relations? Lastly, what does the EV case teach us about how the EU should balance decarbonisation and industrial policy?
For a discussion of the US-China EV rivalry, listen to the previous episode of the AIG Global Trade Series 2024: “Car Wars (Part 1)” features Rem Korteweg in conversation with Scott Kennedy and Wendy Cutler.
https://www.rieti.go.jp/en/events/24052401/info.html

The AIG Global Trade Series 2024 is a series of podcasts analysing the complex interplay of factors shaping the global trade system. The Global Trade Series is a collaboration between AIG and the following international organisations with leading expertise on global trade:
the Aspen Institute Germany; CEBRI - the Brazilian Center for International Relations; Chatham House (UK); the Clingendael Institute (The Netherlands); Elcano Royal Institute (Spain); ERIA – the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (Indonesia); IIEL - the Institute of International Economic Law at Georgetown University Law Center (US); ISPI - the Italian Institute for International Political Studies; the Jacques Delors Institute (France); RIETI - the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (Japan); and the St. Gallen Endowment for Prosperity through Trade (Switzerland).
https://www.aig.co.uk/landing-pages/aig-global-trade-series