When it comes to electric cars, Tesla and its boss Elon Musk have actually been setting the tone for years. But the tide is turning. Now Musk, of all people, who is known to stubbornly resist government interference in his companies, is calling for help. Tough action would have to be taken against the Chinese car manufacturers, otherwise they could virtually destroy all other manufacturers.
Tesla boss worried: Chinese electric cars “are extremely good”
Tesla-Chef Elon Musk is worried. The reason is that electric cars from the Far East are now more than competitive. “They are extremely good,” said the CEO during a conference call on Tesla’s 2023 numbers.
But this accolade from the electric car pioneer for Chinese manufacturers such as BYD, Nio, Geely and Co. does not stop there: “If there are no trade barriers, they will pretty much destroy most other car companies in the world,” Musk further predicted (source: Tagesschau).
The billionaire had always praised previous models that competed with his Teslas. At the same time, there was always at least confidence, if not none at all A fair amount of arrogance towards other brands in his statements.
BYD has positioned itself as a Tesla killer from the start. This title is now becoming a bit of a reality:
BYD Seal: Self-confident Tesla killer comes to Germany
The fact that Musk is now adopting a different tone fits into the picture: In the last quarter of 2023, Tesla had to give up the throne as the most successful electric car manufacturer for the first time. The Chinese brand BYD sold more fully electric vehicles than the US manufacturer for the first time in the last three months of the year. Tesla is still leading for the year. But industry observers expect that BYD can secure the crown in the long term.
USA as a role model: EU is already examining punitive tariffs against Chinese car manufacturers
Trade barriers against Chinese manufacturers have long been discussed. The EU Commission is currently examining punitive tariffs against several car manufacturers. In Tesla’s homeland USA Chinese models hardly play a role at the moment. There would be one on the manufacturer hefty import tax of 25 percent which is why many people avoid the US market.
Accordingly, Tesla is currently the undisputed leader of the electric car market at home – a position that Musk obviously does not want to give up just like that. At the same time, his current statements clearly show how much competition is already being felt in other markets. For European customers However, the introduction of punitive tariffs could be a problem noticeable with higher prices.
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