For the last few weeks, we’ve been running a sidebar survey how (or if) Electrek readers think the first Chinese electric cars will make it onto US roads. After receiving more than 3,000 responses, here’s what you told us. In case you missed the survey, the question read, “With Canada’s new canola for cars deal bringing Chinese EVs to North America, it’s not a matter of IF but WHEN they’ll arrive in the US … how will the first Chinese EVs be sold in the US?” Given the thousands of Chinese electric cars already making their way into Canada, and the growing list of legacy brands (both American and European) working closely to develop new electric vehicle platforms with the Chinese, it seemed to me to be a matter of when, not if, Chinese EVs would come to the US. Nearly 1 in 5 of you disagreed. By the numbers “Other,” and “No answer” omitted. With nearly 500 votes, the “It’ll never happen – the feds will lock down the borders if it means protecting the US’ auto industry,” crowd seemed convinced that the Feds wouldn’t let it happen. Interestingly, however, they didn’t seem to think it mattered which set of Feds we were talking about. Advertisement - scroll for more content I think both major parties consider China a “threat” and therefore will continue to block any sales with bipartisan enthusiasm. Perhaps the only way this changes is if China decides to really play hardball w rare earth metal sakes to US and forces a trade deal. DAVID JOHNSON Still, the majority of responders seemed to agree that the Chinese were coming, with nearly 700 people agreeing with “my” vote: that GM, Ford, or Chrysler (Stellantis) will bring them in under a JV and sell them through dealers, sort of like Geo or Eagle did in the 1980s. If you look at how the Japanese automakers came to the US. Typically a importer takes and interest creates “brand of America” then sells the cars. It happened with motorcycles as well. It’s already happened with Chinese motorcycles. [Malcolm] Bricklin brought in Subaru founding “Subaru of America” he was going to bring in Chery cars to the us 20 years ago. But it didn’t work out. MRVC My favorite comment, however, was about Ford’s Chinese connection with its luxury brand, Lincoln – a brand that I (and maybe some of you) consistently forget still exists. Ford is already importing Chinese vehicles and selling them as “Lincolns”. MARK HORNING Mark’s right. Ford builds its Lincoln Nautilus at Changan Ford’s Hangzhou plant in China, with Ford’s own technical specifications identifying the Hangzhou facility as the vehicle’s final assembly location and NHTSA explicitly lists the Nautilus’ assembly plant as Hangzhou, China. In other words: one of America’s most historic domestic brands is already selling a Chinese car in the US. That’s not new, either. Volvo has imported Chinese-built cars since 2015 and Honda’s most recent Fit was imported into North America (Canada) from China – and that’s not counting the “banned for being Chinese” Polestar EVs, which are Swedish-designed that are actually made in the USA in South Carolina, but nothing makes sense anymore so it’s fine. Right? Head on down to the comments and let us know what you think of these results – and be sure to vote in the next one! Original content from Electrek. If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. Stay up to date with the latest content by subscribing to Electrek on Google News. You’re reading Electrek— experts who break news about Tesla, electric vehicles, and green energy, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow Electrek on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our YouTube channel for the latest reviews.
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