China will spend money and endure a dirty industry

Sunday, October 20th, 2019

Coal-burning China’s embrace of electric vehicles may also be more about money than the environment:

China produces less than 5% of the world’s oil — used in combustion engines — but about 45% of the globe’s coal, used in electricity production for EVs. In much the way that the U.S. is the world’s largest user of homegrown crops for motor fuel despite widespread criticism of ethanol subsidies as costly and environmentally damaging, China will spend money and endure a dirty industry to be energy independent as well.

More than that, though, Beijing wants to dominate tomorrow’s car industry. China’s opening to the West came too late for it to be a major exporter of internal combustion engine vehicles, but it has made aggressive moves to dominate battery production, including securing sources of key metals. Through lavish subsidies it already has by far the world’s largest domestic EV market.

Comments

  1. Sam J. says:

    People have attacked Musk for his electric car subsidies but in my opinion electric cars are a must for energy independence and national security. I also like the way electric cars can give the individual independence from the oil and gas cartels.

    If needed you could charge you car with oil or gas but you could also use small scale solar, wind, water. It gives you vast options that you don’t have with a normal gasoline car.

    I like the hybrids best but only because there’s not a convenient way to carry a power trailer with a gas or diesel motor for longer trips. As charging stations become more ubiquitous the need for hybrids is less.

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