Apple gave up the development of electric vehicles for ten years, and Western auto companies represented by BBA collectively announced the abandonment of the 2035 all-electric plan, which gave people the feeling that China was being collectively calculated by Western countries. When China is vigorously developing new energy electric vehicles, Western countries collectively stop playing, is China really being conspired up? Why did the West collectively abandon the so-called clean energy revolution?
The new energy revolution and clean energy revolution are undoubtedly the key forces to reshape the world pattern and lead the future economic development. It is true that in the name of carbon neutrality and carbon peaking, Western countries are trying to use their technological advantages to exert pressure on developing countries, but this cannot stop the rolling wheels of the new energy revolution.
For the automotive industry, whether it is Detroit in the United States, Stuttgart in Germany, or the automobile cities in Japan and South Korea, the automobile industry is like a towering tree, with deep roots and leaves, bringing prosperity and employment to these countries. In the field of fuel vehicles, they have a large number of core technology patents, like a solid fortress, making China's development in this field always insurmountable.
However, China, as the world's largest auto market, has a huge demand occupied by imported cars and joint venture cars. Against this backdrop, China must change lanes if it wants to overtake in corners in the automotive industry. Fortunately, China is keenly aware of the opportunities in the emerging field of electric vehicles.
Looking back at history, the famous scientist Qian Xuesen put forward a proposal for the development of electric vehicles in China as early as the 80-90s. Today, after decades of development, China's electric vehicle industry has made remarkable achievements. Whether it is the most important battery raw material for electric vehicles, or manufacturing, and even market share, China has shown strong competitiveness.
So, why do Western countries choose to collectively abandon electric vehicles and return to fuel vehicles at this critical moment? The reasons behind this are worth pondering. Perhaps, they are facing the rise of China's electric vehicle industry, feeling unprecedented pressure and challenges. But in any case, the pace of the new energy revolution will not stop, and China will continue to walk firmly on the promising path of electric vehicles.
First of all, Western countries have a huge patent reserve in the field of fuel vehicles, and although the rise of electric vehicles is rapid, fuel vehicles still firmly dominate the market and continue to bring huge profits to these countries. However, this dependence on the dividends of fuel vehicles also makes them hesitate to transform the electric vehicle industry chain. Second, the industrial chain structure of Western countries is still closely revolved around fuel vehicles, and the shift to electric vehicles means that huge amounts of money need to be invested in reconstruction. Under the glory of the past, especially the enterprises in developed countries, they have become accustomed to lying on the dividends and have lost the motivation and courage to forge ahead and work hard. Moreover, in 2023, the three major automobile companies in the United States fell into a strike storm, which was finally temporarily subsided by the concessions of the automobile companies. This incident not only exposed the internal problems of the enterprise, but also reflected to a certain extent that in the new wave of energy revolution, both the United States and the entire Western countries are facing the dual challenges of resource allocation and R&D competition, and appear to be inadequate. Finally, it is worth mentioning that China has become an important base for the electric vehicle industry chain and holds a large number of related patents. At the beginning of 2024, major electric vehicle companies have launched ** activities and significantly reduced prices, making it difficult for latecomers to gain a foothold in the market. This not only demonstrates China's leading position in the field of electric vehicles, but also indicates that the competitive landscape of the global automotive industry is undergoing profound changes. Electric vehicles are driven by electricity, and the current international situation, especially the Russia-Ukraine war, has made profound changes to the original energy landscape. The privileges of Britain and France in their former colonies gradually collapsed, and the once stable and cheap energy** was no longer reliable. Against this backdrop, China's PV industry has shown absolute competitiveness, with wind and hydropower also taking their place. Regrettably, however, nuclear energy has been curtailed because of internal struggles. Together, these factors have led to a surge in electricity in Europe after losing cheap Russian energy, which has greatly reduced the competitive advantage of electric vehicles. Therefore, the high cost of electricity** has become an important reason for the abandonment of electric vehicles in major developed countries in Europe. Western countries have always maintained a competitive posture in the field of science and technology. They have a similar resistance to China's electric vehicle industry, just as they once resisted China's 5G technology and switched to a 6G alliance. This mentality reflects a narrow mindset of "I don't want to buy your product even if I'm not good enough" in an attempt to curb China's growth by limiting the market share of electric vehicles in China. This strategy not only lacks the spirit of openness and inclusiveness, but also ignores the importance of mutual benefit. So in the face of such a situation, should China give up on continuing to develop electric vehicles?
China is firmly at the forefront of electric vehicle development and will never be swayed by the withdrawal of Western countries. Today's China is no longer satisfied with following it, and we know that only innovation can lead the trend and stand alone in the world. Our strengths in the field of electric vehicles are clear: abundant battery raw materials, top-notch technical strength, large market capacity, and competitive electric power** are the solid cornerstones of our progress. China is actively deploying in the field of new energy, and the vast resources of clean energy such as wind power, water conservancy, and photovoltaic power are waiting for us to tap. China's vast territory and the desolate northwest are rich in wind, water and photovoltaic resources. Over time, these resources, if fully utilized, combined with China's unique UHV transmission technology, will ensure that our power supply** is both stable and competitive. The development of electric vehicles is not only the key to China's overtaking in corners and breaking the monopoly of the Western automotive industry, but also an important way to enhance the added value of the industry and improve the treatment of workers. Backed by a huge domestic market, the production and sales of electric vehicles in the Chinese market have both exceeded 30 million units in 2023, which is enough to prove the potential and vitality of the Chinese market. The West is not the whole world, and even in extreme cases, third world countries have not yet been able to fully absorb electric vehicles, and the Chinese market alone is enough to support the vigorous development of China's electric vehicle industry in the short term. As we continue to expand into the third world market, the problem of sales volume is naturally solved. As Ren Zhengfei said, as long as we have the top technology and the most cost-effective products, even if they don't choose us now, the door will be open for us in the future. With the Russian-Ukrainian war, tensions in the Middle East affect China's energy security, and the United States controls almost all of the world's major energy channels, which is a great threat to China's energy security, China must find a new way out, then vigorously develop electric vehicles is to gradually reduce energy dependence, and can also be used as a mobile energy storage terminal.
The rise of electric vehicles does not mean the dismal exit of fuel vehicles, let alone a zero-sum game. The future development of electric vehicles is still full of countless challenges and unknowns. Although the pace of intelligent fuel vehicles is a little slow, electric vehicles are also facing the key problem of intelligence. Although Apple has decided to suspend the research and development of electric vehicles, its tech elite has turned to the field of AI to lay the cornerstone for the intelligent road of electric vehicles. In this change, Chinese enterprises must accelerate R&D and grasp the initiative of intelligent technology. At the same time, Japanese car companies are betting on hydrogen energy technology, with their deep patent accumulation, trying to break new ground in this field. However, due to the difficulty of promoting hydrogen energy technology and market limitations, Japanese companies have also had to consider turning to the field of electric vehicles. For China, its large market offers the possibility of diversification. Recently, the preferential policies for hydrogen energy vehicles in Shandong and other places are strong proof of China's adherence to the two-legged strategy. China is not only actively deploying in the field of electric vehicles, but also seeking breakthroughs in the field of hydrogen energy vehicles. This two-pronged strategy makes China no longer just a follower, but a real leader in the future competition of the global automotive industry. Whether the future of the automotive industry is electric vehicles or hydrogen energy vehicles, China will write its own brilliant chapter with its deep market foundation and innovation capabilities. This move by Western countries is actually an attempt to jointly curb China's development momentum. China's sudden emergence in the field of pure electric vehicles has undoubtedly shaken the long-standing hegemony of the automobile industry in Western countries. Just as Western countries have joined forces to suppress China's Huawei 5G and rush to form a 6G alliance, their real intention is not to contribute to the world's scientific and technological progress, but to block China's development through collective action. The United States, as a country with abundant oil and gas reserves, is sitting back in the midst of Europe's energy crisis, and its energy companies are hugely profitable. As a result, the U.S. auto industry can withstand this pressure in a short period of time. However, for Europe, which is short of energy, its automobile industry is undoubtedly under great pressure at the moment of soaring energy**. Despite the fact that Western countries claim to share the same values, their unity is not indestructible in the face of specific national interests. Therefore, China should keep a clear head and not be overly anxious when facing this situation. We should abandon the mentality of followers, be determined to do what we believe is right, stick to our own development path, and move forward bravely. 