Some US automakers — as well as linked politicians — have been extremely opposed to Chinese automakers bringing their electric vehicles to the US market. It’s funny — supposedly, most consumers don’t want electric cars, but allowing Chinese automakers to bring electric cars into the United States is a dire risk for the industry, because … they will be too compelling and too popular? Hyundai is now jumping into this discourse as well apparently. Last week, Hyundai Motor CEO Jose Munoz decided to warn the country that if we don’t keep super high tariffs and other barriers in place, Chinese automakers could invade the US auto market like it’s doing in the European auto market. Hyundai is apparently struggling in Europe, losing market share and profitability there, due to Chinese EV makers entering the European market so strongly. Rather than outcompete them and other automakers, Hyundai would just like the US (and surely other countries) to essentially close the doors and put big barriers to entry in place for Chinese automakers. The company broke out in the US market and grew tremendously in the past few decades, but no one else should have the opportunity to do that, you know? “Munoz said Chinese vehicles are 30% to 40% cheaper than rival models in some markets, including Italy, Spain and France,” Reuters reports. “That is despite trade barriers including tariffs or minimum pricing commitments that the European Union imposed on Chinese-built electric vehicles after concluding they benefited from unfair state subsidies.” There’s also the great comparison or control market of the UK. Unlike the European Union (EU), the UK doesn’t have high tariffs on Chinese EVs or any other significant barriers to entry there. The result? Chinese EVs are very popular there. “The UK, which in the past was a very profitable, very strong market, has become like China,” Munoz claimed while in San Jose, California, last week. “All the top sellers are Chinese because there are no barriers.” (Because there are no barriers and because of how compelling and competitive these Chinese electric cars are.) Whereas Chinese built vehicles accounted for 9% of EU auto sales in the first half of 2026, they accounted for 15% of UK auto sales. There are other factors at play as well of course, but that’s a pretty strong indicator that Chinese EVs sell better in markets that don’t put up huge trade barriers. “The level of innovation, the level of improvement, the technology is unbelievable,” Munoz also said regarding Chinese electric cars. … Um, yeah, so, we just shouldn’t be allowed to shop for such cars because that would threaten the business of legacy automakers? (Sounds like a completely not-free-market idea.) I don’t think Donald Trump or Republicans in general are going to loosen trade barriers to Chinese EVs, and I don’t think Democrats would do so either for that matter. However, with legacy automaker executives continuing to speak out and warn about this, maybe there is more threat of it happening than I’d assume. Or they’re just that scared of what could happen if the US didn’t have 100% tariffs and other extreme barriers to these cars.