Foreign and domestic auto makers are slashing prices while a battle for battery market share is underway too.
Xpeng's P7 was unveiled at Auto Guangzhou, November 22, 2019. Credit: Xpeng
There’s a price war underway in China’s electric vehicle (EV) market, and it’s taking place on multiple fronts. Since January, more than 30 automakers have slashed the prices of their vehicles, amid a steep drop in demand for new cars. Now, battery makers are joining in too, spurred on by aggressive moves by China’s CATL, the world’s largest battery maker.
The falling price of EVs ought to be welcomed by consumers, which in turn could be positive news for the energy transition: China’s EV market is already the world’s largest by a significant margin, accounting for more than half of electric vehicle sales last year. But the aggressive price cutting and deal making is drawing the attention of China’s regulators — and even apprehensive words from Xi Jinping.
This week, The Wire looks at China's electric vehicle price war: how it started, the potential winners and losers, and implications for the long-term competitiveness of the nascent sector.
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